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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25113604">Let Him Be Gay</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetildaFan/pseuds/PetildaFan'>PetildaFan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>P5 Redux [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Anime/Video Game Fusion, Coming Out, Coming of Age, F/M, Forced Prostitution, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Rape/Non-con, Persona 5: The Royal Spoilers, Self-Hatred, Transphobia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:35:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>111</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>173,093</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25113604</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetildaFan/pseuds/PetildaFan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A single year can change everything.</p><p>A reimagining of Persona 5, with an expanded look at Ren Amamiya’s background.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist, Kitagawa Yusuke/Amamiya Ren (One-Sided), Kitagawa Yusuke/Kurusu Akira (one-sided), Kitagawa Yusuke/Persona 5 Protagonist (One-Sided) - Relationship, Sakamoto Ryuji/Takamaki Ann</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>P5 Redux [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1964635</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>856</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>459</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Closet Locked Shut</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">For Ren Amamiya, growing up was never easy. For as long as he could remember, he always felt strange around kids his age, yet he never really understood why. That is, until something happened to him in middle school, on Valentine's Day to be exact. Since it was customary for girls to hand out chocolates to guys they like, it surprised him when he received some from a few of his female classmates. Yet despite these chocolates being homemade, he didn't feel anything towards those girls. Granted he does like chocolate, but that was it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But things took a turn for the worse on White Day. In response to the chocolate he received on Valentine's Day, Ren bought some cookies and gave them out to those same girls. Yet instead of being grateful, the girls ended up looking hurt, like they were punched in the face. He tried asking what was wrong, but they remained silent, refusing to answer his question, thinking he was just 'playing them', in their words.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Rumors quickly spread the next day. When word got out that Ren turned down the love chocolates from who were actually the most popular girls in the grade, the other students started calling him weird for rejecting them. Yet he never really understood why. All he did was respond to their feelings. What was he supposed to do? It was White Day, after all. Wasn't it customary to give gifts in exchange for Valentine chocolate?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The rumors didn't pass as Ren got older. By the time he was in his first year of high school, he started to bit of exploration in the form of books and various websites. It was during this time that he realized he was never interested in the opposite gender. But by then, it was already too late. He was already labeled as an outcast by the other students, a total freak. Their words hurt him so much that he subconsciously denied those feelings, wishing the rumors would go away.</span>
</p><p class="p2">He hated it.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He hated what his life had become.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He wished something would happen to make all these problems go away.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And several months later, he found a woman being mugged by a drunk man.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">When Ren moved to Tokyo, he decided to get a pair of fake glasses to appear less-threatening to his new classmates, hoping to take on a fresh start. Of course, this fresh start also meant he could finally leave behind all those problems that burdened him back in his hometown.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet at the same time, there was a hollow feeling in the dark-haired teen's heart. Those years of hurtful words had broke him up so badly that he could no longer figure out who the real him truly is. Whenever he saw his own face in a mirror, he felt disgusted, hating himself with every passing second. With his uncontrollable messy hair and the faded gaze in his eyes, he could no longer see his own face as attractive, resulting in a bit of a complex.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">However, despite <a href="https://youtu.be/rTamN1eD7Cg">an unusual event happening</a>, he was able to get to school late. He wanted to make a good first impression, but as soon as he introduced himself to the class, what followed indicated he wasn't going to have a normal school life.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He seems quiet...but I bet when he loses it..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I mean, he was arrested for assault, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily the homeroom teacher, Ms. Kawakami, spoke up. "Uhh, so... Your seat will be..." After a bit of thinking, she pointed at a seat near the windows. "Over there. The one that's open. Sorry, but can the people nearby please share your textbooks with him for today?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Ren walked over to the empty seat, he could hear the other students continue to whisper about him. But then, he noticed a familiar blonde girl, the same one he came across earlier today. She muttered something under her breath as he sat down, but that didn't end the whispering.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Did you catch that? Do those two know each other?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Eww... Does that mean he hit on her before transferring here?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That can't be it. I heard he was some weirdo in his old school. Didn't even respond when a popular girl admitted she likes him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wow, what a freak."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That did it for Ren. He felt his throat go dry as he tilted his head downward, the glare on his glasses shielding his eyes. <em>"So much for a clean slate..."</em> he thought to himself as class started.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">After classes were done, Ren was more than happy to leave the classroom. But as soon as he walked into the hallway, it distorted slightly, resembling the castle he was in earlier today. He rubbed his forehead, wondering if he was just seeing things.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's wrong?" Ms. Kawakami asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is this a school?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ms. Kawakami looked concerned. "Are you sure you're okay?" she checked. "Also...it seems like people are already talking about you, but I'm not the one who told them."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's alright," Ren replied, still thinking about what he heard in class. "I'm used to rumors..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then you should head straight home without stopping by anywhere," Ms. Kawakami advised. "Sakura-san sounded pretty angry."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Alright," Ren agreed, knowing he was probably going to get talked-down at the cafe.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But as Ren made his way to the school entrance, he noticed that Sakamoto boy, the one who was with him in the castle, walking towards him. Still thinking about the rumors, he quickly walked past him without another word. He could only imagine things getting worse if he actually stopped by to chat.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>"Just stay low and this year pass..."</em> Ren thought to himself. <em>"That's all I have to do until this probation ends..."</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But little did Ren know that this first day of school would soon lead to something bigger...</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The First Secret Keeper</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>After a rough first day of school, Ren’s new life starts to take a turn for the better.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Much like what Ren expected, Sojiro scolded him for skipping half of the school day. Of course, he half-paid attention due to his ever-growing anxiety regarding his background getting leaked. Worse, now everyone at school called him a freak. It was no different than the students at his old school. He was actually dreading going back tomorrow, worried about things getting worse from here on out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">So after the lecture, Ren was about to head to his room when a low sob choked out from his throat. He covered his mouth as his eyes widened, hoping Sojiro didn't hear that. Luckily he was so focused on that unexpected phone call to notice, so he slipped by as quickly as he could.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But as soon as Ren got to the attic, he dropped his school bag with a loud thud and let out all of his pent-up emotions. Collapsing to the floor, he breathed heavily as tears fell from his eyes, a single fist hitting the wooden floor with a loud thud. He was too upset to think clearly. All he could think about was what might happen tomorrow. Not only was he accused of being a delinquent, but now the other students also know about those cruel, unforgiving rumors.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It was disgusting.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He felt disgusting.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">No... He <em>knew</em> he was disgusting.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After all, guys like girls and girls like guys. He's a guy, so he's supposed to like girls.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And yet...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Was it even okay that those straight thoughts made him want to puke?</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">On the way over to school, Ren had a chance encounter at the subway station. While waiting for the next line to arrive, he saw a girl with beautiful red hair tied up in a ponytail. Her posture was tall and slender, too, projecting a vibe of elegance. Overall, she looked like the ideal girl.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet no matter how long Ren stared at this girl. <em>"Yep,"</em> he thought to himself. <em>"Still not straight."</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">One subway ride later, Ren met up with the same girl again as he was about to leave the station. "Pardon me..." she said, her long ponytail bouncing as she walked. "Thank you so much for earlier."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean with that guy on the subway?" Ren asked in response, referring to the rude man who stole the girl's seat. "It was nothing."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The girl nodded in response. "You're a second-year at Shujin Academy, correct?" she wondered. "I'm a first-year there myself. Thanking you totally slipped my mind back on the track, and I didn't want to be rude to my senpai." She bowed slightly. "Please excuse me."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Luckily for Ren, nothing much happened throughout the school day. He mostly kept a low profile and the only times he spoke were when the teachers called on him. And just like he expected, the other students still talked about how weird he is. He was able to get all of his emotions out last night, so he didn't have another breakdown.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But then, once classes were done, Ren left the classroom when he noticed a conversation between Ann and Kamoshida. It sounded like he was concerned about her, but then...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, and...be careful around that transfer student. Not only does he have a criminal record, but there were rumors from his old school regarding his weird behavior. If something were to happen to you..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That nearly made Ren freeze up. But he had to keep acting normal, so he swallowed hard and walked at a fast pace. Is that how his information was leaked? Were most of the teachers telling the students about him?</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Before Ren left school, a familiar face approached him. It was Sakamoto, the blonde boy from yesterday. "There you are!" he shouted.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Instead of stopping, Ren sped up his walking. Yet much to his frustration, Sakamoto did as well. Eventually the blonde teen sprinted in front of Ren and blocked his way, gasping for breath.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's with you?!" Sakamoto demanded. "Ever since that freaky castle, you've been givin' me the cold shoulder!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took a few steps back. "Stop..." he begged, speaking in a hushed tone. "Please..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not 'til you explain yourself!" Sakamoto demanded. "I bet Kawakami already told you stuff like, 'don't get involved with him', huh?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not here..." Ren insisted. "Not when other students can see..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sakamoto let out a frustrated groan. "Fine..." he muttered.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">A while later, the two boys ended up at a ramen shop in Ogikubo. "Okay, start talkin'," Sakamoto spoke up. "What's up with you?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren swallowed hard. "Okay," he said. "It's...about those rumors..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't let 'em bother you," Sakamoto reassured. "They're just rumors."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Not quite," Ren admitted, unable to control his own words. "It all started a few years ago...on White Day. I wanted to respond to the Valentine chocolates a few popular girls gave me. I figured buying some cookies would be a nice gift. But then..." His hand started trembling. "Then..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then what?" Sakamoto asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren had to take a deep breath before continuing. "They got upset at me," he said. "Accusing me of 'playing them' and not explaining why they were upset."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sakamoto looked serious. "Don't tell me... You got love chocolates from those girls?" he checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response. "The rumors started after that," he continued. "Everyone at school called me weird for turning down those girls. I never understood why until I started high school. But by then...it was too late." His breathing became ragged as he continued. "The other students kept on calling me a freak...or worse..." At that point, he was visibly shaking. "Someone even wrote '<a href="https://www.moscasdecolores.com/en/gay-dictionary/japanese/doseiaisha/">dōseiaisha</a>' on my desk in permanent marker."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sakamoto's eyes widened as he nearly choked on a mouthful of ramen. "The hell would anyone do that?!" he shouted once he swallowed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But Ren didn't properly answer. "Isn't it obvious?" he asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It took Sakamoto a while to figure it out. "Wait a sec..." he muttered. "Are you..." His voice became a low whisper. "...playing for the other team?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A slight blush on Ren's face was a silent 'yes'. "I...don't know anymore..." he nervously admitted, not knowing why he was still talking to this boy he just met. "I keep telling myself I'm supposed to like girls, but it feels wrong. But when I think about other guys..." He let out a defeated sigh. "I probably deserve all this backlash for having those thoughts..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You kiddin'?" Sakamoto asked, speaking in a serious tone. "What they did to you is disgusting. No one's gotta be treated like that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Those words surprised Ren. "You...don't think I'm weird?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Why would I?" Sakamoto asked in response. "I know we met yesterday, but you seem like a nice guy. Besides, there's worse shit goin' on at Shujin."</p><p class="p2">Ren knew what Sakamoto was talking about. "The weird castle..." he said, changing topics.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah," Sakamoto confirmed. "What was all that that happened? You know, how we almost got killed at that castle... It wasn't a dream...right? You remember it too, yeah?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can still feel where my skin was ripped off," Ren answered, gently touching his face.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, just 'cause we both remember it doesn't mean much though..." Sakamoto pointed out. "I mean, even if it was a dream, you saved me from Kamoshida. So yeah... Thanks, Ren."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It was nothing," Ren replied, starting to feel more relaxed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But man, that Kamoshida we saw there..." Sakamoto sighed. "You prolly don't know about it, but there are some rumors about him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You called him a 'pervy teacher'," Ren recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No one says anything against him 'cause he's some medalist who took the volleyball team to nationals," Sakamoto continued. "The way Kamoshida was king at that castle felt crazy real 'cause of that..."</span>
</p><p class="p2">A crazy idea popped into Ren's head. "What if we went back to that castle?" he wondered.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sakamoto, on the other hand, sighed in frustration. "Forget it..." he muttered. "Must've all been a dream. It has to be! Sorry to drag you into it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's alright," Ren replied. "I actually feel better talking to you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sakamoto looked over at Ren and grinned. "You know, we might be pretty similar," he spoke up. "I feel like we're gonna get along just fine as 'outcasts'." He held out his hand to Ren. "I'm Ryuji Sakamoto, but you can just call me Ryuji, RenRen."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren looked at the hand before returning the handshake. "Very well...Sakamoto," he said with a playful smile.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As all of you are aware of, the Persona 5 anime is getting an official English dub. This fic is my way of celebrating the news, hence why it will include references to both the game and anime.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Slight Snag</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>During the second trip to the creepy castle, Ren unfortunately hits a slight problem with his Persona...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After finishing up their Ramen, Ren insisted to Ryuji that they should find the castle. They tried retracing their steps, but they ended up back at the school.After their second attempt, Ren decided to check out the app on his phone. Sure enough, upon activating it, they were back at the castle. And just like yesterday, Ren was sporting a snazzy black outfit. He even teased that Ryuji was probably jealous, which he quickly denied.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily the two crossed paths with Morgana, who was more than happy to help out. Turns out this castle was actually a distorted version of the school, something Ryuji couldn't quite comprehend right away. Regardless, they headed over to the castle dungeon, where they confronted a single guard. That was when Morgana offered the advice of ambushing their foes so they could attack first. So when that ambush led to an encounter with a floating pumpkin creature carrying a lantern, Ren and Morgana were ready for combat.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">That was when things took a turn for the worse.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Arsene!" Ren cried out, gripping onto his mask. But when he tried to pull it off to summon his Persona, it didn't come off right away and required a little more force. And when Arsene was successfully summoned, it flickered ever so slightly and couldn't land a direct hit. This was very unusual, given that he didn't have issues yesterday.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, what gives?!" Morgana demanded as he dodged a fireball. "You didn't have this much trouble with your Persona yesterday!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren wasn't sure how to respond. Instead, he chose to focus on the battle instead. But this time summoning Arsene resulted in a bit of blood dripping from his forehead, all while he screamed out in pain. What was going on?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana sighed in frustration. "Fine," he spat out. "Just sit back. I'll take care of this."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">A few gusts of wind later, the Shadow was defeated, but Morgana wasn't too happy. Ren could only avert his eyes from the not-cat's angry glare, feeling embarrassed for not putting up a decent fight. Morgana was right. Arsene was more stable yesterday. So how come he wasn't materializing properly now?</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p2">Aside from the whole Persona issue, navigating through the dungeon was a breeze. As Morgana guided Ren and Ryuji, he gave them more advice on what to do while going through the castle, which was actually referred to as a Palace. According to Morgana, Palaces are a result of a person having strong distorted desires. The stronger the desires, the stronger the Palace guards become. But for those who have a powerful will of rebellion, they can break free from the distortions and take on an image that represents their idea of a rebel.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As for Morgana, there was a reason why he was in the Palace in the first place. Claiming he's actually human, he figured exploring these Palaces could help him regain his true form. But he was captured by Kamoshida and tortured, hence why he was first seen in a jail cell. No wonder he sounded so grateful yesterday.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After finding a safe room to take a breather, the group continued their infiltration. While Ren was capable of fighting the Shadows with just a knife and a gun (courtesy of Ryuji), Morgana was the only one who could summon a Persona without problems. As for Ryuji, he could only offer moral support due to not having a Persona. Luckily the model gun he had was surprisingly effective. Not only could it shoot bullets at the Shadows, but it automatically refilled itself once they were finished with combat. Continently enough, Morgana also had a massive, cartoony slingshot along with his cutlass, so he could also pull off long-ranged attacks.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">By the time they got to the supposed 'Training Hall of Love', they found what happened to the captured students: right now they were all being assaulted by the guards, fearing for the thought of being executed. This only angered Ryuji even more. Turns out he planned on freeing them. But according to Morgana, these students were all part of Kamoshida's cognition, not actual human beings. There was no point in saving them. There was also the implications on how this was similar to how Kamoshida treated the school volleyball team.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So it might be for real..." Ryuji muttered. "I heard that Kamoshida's usin' physical punishment. They're just rumors, but..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It might be true," Ren finished.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then...wouldn't this be somethin' to report to the police?" Ryuji wondered. He took out his phone. "I'll use these guys as evidence. If it all goes well, we can take down that asshole Kamoshida!" But for some reason, his phone wouldn't work properly. "...Huh? It's not workin'! We can use the navigation app, but the camera's a no-go?!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A navigation app...?" Morgana repeated.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's what we used to come here," Ryuji explained. He looked over at Ren. "What about yours?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took out his phone and tried to turn on the camera. "That's strange..." he muttered. "My camera app won't open."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whatever you do is fine, but we're gonna get caught if we stand around like this!" Morgana pointed out, getting a little antsy. "Especially with Frizzy Hair's Persona going haywire! We need to head back!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hang on a sec," Ryuji said, looking back at the students. "There's no other way... I'll just memorize their face before goin' home."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Not much happened for a while. Ryuji kept a careful eye on each student and luckily the group didn't face any Shadows at all. However, trouble kicked back in once they left the training hall. They were instantly confronted by Kamoshida and a few other guards.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"You knaves again?"</b> Kamoshida asked, sounding exasperated. <b>"To think you'd make the same mistake again. You're hopeless!"</b></span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">In a flash of blue flames, Ren was back in his school uniform again. "Not again..." he grumbled under his breath. He recalled how Morgana said he doesn't have full control over his power. Is that why his Persona isn't working, either?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The school ain't your castle!" Ryuji angrily shouted. "I've memorized their faces real good! You're goin' down!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But Kamoshida didn't look worried. <b>"Seems it's true when they say 'barking dogs seldom bite',"</b> he taunted. <b>"How far the star runner of the track team has fallen."</b></span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The hell are you gettin' at?!" Ryuji demanded.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"I speak of the 'Track Traitor' who acted in violence, ending his teammates' dream,"</b> Kamoshida clarified. <b>"Oh, I can only imagine the pain of the others who were dragged under with your...selfish act."</b></span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That surprised Ren. "You were on a track team?" he asked Ryuji.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"><b>"What a surprise,"</b> Kamoshida commented. <b>"So you're accompanying him without knowing anything at all? He betrayed his teammates and crushed their hopes, yet he still carries on as carefree as ever."</b></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not true!" Ryuji responded.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"What a tragedy..."</b> Kamoshida mocked. <b>"You blindly trusted this fool and he's led you right to your death."</b> He turned his back on the team. <b>"Hurry up and dispose of them. I can't stand their stench, especially the disgusting one."</b></span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, two of the guards transformed into large black goat-like creatures with bright green horns. Ren clutched his knife as he and Morgana stepped forward.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Goddammit..." Ryuji muttered, feeling powerless to do anything.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ryuji, move!" Morgana ordered as he whipped out his cutlass.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But unfortunately, the battle was entirely one-sided. With Ren and Morgana surrounded by Shadows, their attacks were of little effort. Sure Morgana was able to put up a decent fight and alternate between direct attacks and summoning Zorro, but Ren was at a stronger disadvantage. Heck, he was still in his school uniform! Why wasn't he back in his rebel outfit?!</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Come on..." Ren muttered as he frantically shot at one of the Shadows. "Transform already..." But all that happened was a swirl of blue flames surrounding him while his clothing flickered between his uniform and rebel outfit.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you think you're doing?!" Morgana angrily asked. "You can't summon your Persona! You still don't have full control over your power!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then how do I fix that?!" Ren impatiently demanded.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I don't know!" Morgana admitted. "Just..." He fired a slingshot pellet as he spoke. "...fix whatever caused the problem!" He growled as more Shadows materialized. "There's more of them?! This is bad!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It didn't take long for the two to get knocked down. Ren felt too weak to get up. All he could do was glare at Kamoshida as he stepped on Morgana's back.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"You piece of..." the not-cat bitterly groaned.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren attempted to get up, but he was instantly forced back down by a guard, one in golden armor. Was there really nothing he can do? Is he...too weak of a Persona user?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"I bet you simply came here on a whim and ended up like this,"</b> Kamoshida told Ryuji. <b>"Isn't that right?"</b></span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No...!" Ryuji insisted.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"What a worthless piece of trash, getting emotional so quickly..."</b> Kamoshida mocked. <b>"How dare you raise your hand at me. Though it was only temporary, have you forgotten my kindness in supervising track practice?"</b></span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That wasn't no practice!" Ryuji shouted, pounding his fist on the floor. "It was physical abuse! You just didn't like our team!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"It was nothing but an eyesore!"</b> Kamoshida continued. <b>"The only one who needs to achieve results is me! The coach who got fired was hopeless too. Had he not oppose me with a sound argument, I would've settled it with only breaking his star's leg!"</b></span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji looked up in surprise. "...What?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"Do you need me to deal with your other leg too?"</b> Kamoshida threatened. <b>"The school will call it self-defense, anyway!"</b></span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Dammit..." Ryuji muttered. "Am I gonna lose again? Not only can I not run anymore...the track team is gone too 'cause of this asshole..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's why..." Morgana sadly realized.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"Once these two are dealt with, you're next,"</b> Kamoshida continued.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ryuji!" Morgana cried out as Kamoshida's foot pushed into his back even harder.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...J-Just go!" Ren shouted, struggling to get back on his feet. "Get out of here!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Ren?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry about me!" Ren insisted. "Just go!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But to Ren's surprise, Ryuji had a different reaction. "No," he decided. "Everything that was important to me was taken by him... I'll never get 'em back!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"Stay there and watch,"</b> Kamoshida mocked. <b>"Look on as these hopeless scum die for nothing because they sided with trash like you."</b></span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ryuji slowly got back on his feet. "No... That's what you are..." he exclaimed. "All you think about is using people! You're the real scumbag, Kamoshida!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"What are you doing?!"</b> Kamoshida ordered the guards. <b>"Silence him!"</b></span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But Ryuji was having none of that. "Stop lookin' down on me with that stupid smile on your face!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Ryuji looked like he was in pain. His eyes turned yellow as he clutched his head, all while his body twitched. This went on for a while in complete silence. But as Ren looked on, he had a feeling it was similar to when he first met Arsene. Was Ryuji...about to awaken to his own Persona?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Eventually Ryuji looked up, an iron mask appearing on his face. He reached up and tore it off in a matter of seconds. When it came off, blood dripped from his forehead as he was surrounded by blue flames, knocking the guards back. The blue flames soon dispersed, revealing a cannon-armed pirate on a wooden ship. As for Ryuji, he was sporting a new outfit, one resembling a pirate captain's uniform.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"This one as well?"</b> Kamoshida asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji noticed his new change of clothing. "Right on..." he happily said. "Wassup, Persona! This effin' rocks!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana and Ren got back on their feet as Ren regain his own rebel outfit, much to his relief. And with a new Persona user on the team, he had a feeling this battle was going to end differently this time.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now that I got this power, it's time for payback!" Ryuji continued. He cracked his knuckles. "Yo, I'm ready... Bring it!"</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sometimes a cool Persona awakening doesn’t sound as cool when you can’t hear the voice speaking inside the user’s mind...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Triggered</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sometimes the past can haunt you in disturbing ways...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once Ryuji joined the team, things were a lot easier. His Persona, Captain Kidd, fired bolt of lightning at the bicorn Shadows, knocking them out in an instant. As for the guard in gold armor, it transformed into a red-armored man riding a black horse. That particular Shadow was hard to defeat, even with Ryuji helping out. Luckily, with a sudden burst of energy, Ren was able to somehow summon Arsene, who fired sharp needles at the Shadow. With the enemy caught in a sleep spell, the trio attacked all at once with Ryuji delivering the final blow.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whoa..." Morgana muttered in awe. "So Ryuji had the potential too..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji started gasping for air. "...How 'bout that?!" he wheezed, glaring at Kamoshida. "Even if you apologize now, I ain't forgivin' you!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"I told you that this is my castle,"</b> Kamoshida repeated. <b>"It seems you still don't understand."</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, a familiar blonde girl wearing a black and purple bikini with matching cat ears walked in and approached Kamoshida. "Wh- Takamaki?!" Ryuji exclaimed, confused.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana, on the other hand, was in awe. "What a meow-velous and beautiful girl..." he purred.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's goin on?!" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">In a flash of blue flames, Ren was back in his school uniform as he started breathing heavily. The way the girl was looking at Kamoshida and acted around him gave him an unsettling feeling of Deja Vu. He has seen that kind of behavior at his old high school. In fact, he could still hear those voices in his head.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"Come on, it doesn't hurt."</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"How would you know unless you tried it?"</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"Don't you want those rumors to stop?"</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"You're not weird, are you? Then prove it."</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"STOP THAT!" Ren cried out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji was surprised by the outburst. "What's gotten into you?" he asked. He looked back at the blonde girl. "And why is she even here?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"How many times must I tell you until you understand?"</b> Kamoshida angrily asked. <b>"This is MY castle, a place in which I can do whatever I want. Everyone wishes to be loved by me. That is, everyone besides slow-witted thieves like you, especially that freak over there."</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Takamaki! Say somethin'!" Ryuji shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Calm down, Ryuji!" Morgana advised. "It seems this girl isn't the real one. She's the same as those slaves, a being made from Kamoshida's cognition of her!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"Are you jealous?"</b> Kamoshida taunted, his gaze mostly fixated at Ren. <b>"Well, I'm not surprised. Women aren't drawn to problematic punks and weird freaks like you."</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, more guards materialized in the room. "We're outnumbered!" Morgana exclaimed. "Let's scram before we get surrounded!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji wasn't happy with the plan. "We're not gonna do anything and just run?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana looked over at Ren, who looked like he was having a panic attack. "We don't have a choice," the not-cat told Ryuji. "It's better to come back once Frizzy Hair calms down."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fine..." Ryuji grumbled in response. He angrily glared at Kamoshida. "We'll expose what you really are, no matter what! You better be ready for us!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"I was beginning to get bored of torturing the ones here!"</b> Kamoshida laughed. <b>"Come at me whenever you want, if you don't care about your life!"</b></span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">When the group left the Palace, Ryuji stopped to take a breather. "Anyways!" he said, looking at his gloved hand. "I don't remember changin' into this!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren felt a tinge of jealousy, but he said nothing. Ryuji must have a better grasp on his Persona than him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what's goin' on?" Ryuji asked Morgana. "I'm completely lost, man!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I told you before," Morgana repeated. "When a Persona user opposes a Palace's ruler and becomes a threat to them, this happens." He looks back at Ren. "...Most of the time. It's to prevent you from being affected by distortions."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that why I keep changing back?" Ren wondered. "Am I being affected by the Palace's distortions?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"I'm not sure, Frizzy Hair," Morgana admitted. "You seem to switch back and forth."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And can you please stop calling me that?" Ren asked as he nervously scratched the back of his head. "My name is Ren Amamiya."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you do have a name," Morgana commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ryuji had a sudden realization. "Wait, we're in deep shit!" he exclaimed. "We might've gotten away here, but we're still screwed with Kamoshida at the real school!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's quite sharp of you...for an idiot," Morgana replied. "Relax. The Kamoshida in reality can't probably know about what happens here. A Shadow is the true self that is suppressed, a side of one's personality they don't want to see."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we're okay?" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Did the Kamoshida in reality remember about the execution?" Morgana asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He didn't," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There you have it," Morgana said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right!" Ryuji cheered. "Now that we know that, all we gotta do is-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait," Morgana interrupted. "I guided you as promised. It's your turn to cooperate with me. That's why I was super-nice about teaching you idiots everything."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I remember you saying that," Ren recalled. "You wanted to regain your human form." He looked back at the Palace. "But..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I never said anything about helpin' you out," Ryuji blurted out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana gasped. "Don't tell me..." he muttered. "Are you not going to repay the hospitality I showed you?" He glared at Ren. "Especially you! You're going to up and leave, even though you're already part of my master plan?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I...have my reasons..." Ren stammered, pushing up his glasses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is it because I'm not human?" Morgana angrily assumed. "Because I'm like a cat? Is that why you're making a fool of me?!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">Ren frantically looked away, unable to say another word. He started breathing frantically as his fists clenched. He was too upset to explain why he wanted to not go back to that castle. Because if he was right, there were probably more girls in there, tempting him with their bodies pressed against him...</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks for everything, cat," Ryuji told Morgana. "You've got guts, bein' a cat and all. See you around!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">One app-related transport later, Ren and Ryuji made it back in the real world. While Ryuji voiced relief, Ren still looked nervous.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I dragged you around a lot, huh?" Ryuji spoke up. "Sorry, man."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't want to go back there," Ren blurted out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Y'know, you're been actin' weird ever since we saw Takamaki at the castle," Ryuji recalled. "What's up with that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I-I..." Ren stammered. "I was..." He then muttered something under his breath.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You what?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren checked his surroundings before closely learning towards Ryuji, whispering something to his ear. It was brief, but only a few words were needed to get his point across.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Holy shit..." Ryuji gasped. "That actually happened to you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What if there are more girls like that at the Palace?" Ren assumed. "They might..." He was too nervous to finish his sentence.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't think we have to go back there," Ryuji reassured. "I totally remember the faces of the guys Kamoshida was treatin' like slaves. Once we make 'em fess up to any physical abuse, Kamoshida will be done. So...wanna help me look for those guys or any witnesses?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It might not go well if I help," Ren answered. "I'm still on probation. Maybe it would be best if I lay low instead..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't think that'll help," Ryuji pointed out. "Everyone already knows about your record and the rumors from your old school. They totally got you pegged as a weird criminal."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I know," Ren replied. "But...how'd that happen?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Kamoshida opened his damn mouth!" Ryuji answered. "No one else besides a teacher could've leaked it that fast! It doesn't matter if it's a student or a club. That asshole just wrecks things he doesn't agree with, just like he did with me!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But..." Ren started to say.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"No one'll take anything I say seriously," Ryuji continued. "Still, those rumors about him gettin' physical might be real. And after seein' Kamoshida's distorted heart-thing in person, there's no way I can just sit back."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren sighed, figuring he didn't have much of a choice. "Alright," he decided. "I'll help, but I still don't want to go back to the Palace."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Hey, don't sweat it," Ryuji continued. "If things go well, we won't have to go back there."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren couldn't help but smile softly. He could sense a bond of trust coming from Ryuji. He could tell they were going to be good friends from now on.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. A Plan of Attack</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren and Ryuji bond over backgrounds and discuss their plan to expose Kamoshida’s wrongdoings.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the two friends resolving to stop Kamoshida, Ren and Ryuji stopped by the ramen shop once more. It was redundant, but Ryuji needed something to eat after awakening to his Persona. However, there was still something bothering Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So, what's up with your probation?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about it?" Ren asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You never really told me what happened," Ryuji clarified.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren swallowed hard. "...Alright," he said. "You know how I told you about...<em>that</em>?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, I remember," Ryuji replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Since then, I couldn't let anyone go through that same trauma," Ren continued. "Just like what happened that night. I was heading back home early when I heard a man and a woman arguing in the distance. When I ran over to the source, I could see a drunk man bothering a woman. She was in danger. I couldn't ignore it, so I stepped in. But when I tried to push him away, he fell an injured his head. But he blamed me for the injury and forced the woman to agree with him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The incident ended up on my permanent record and I was expelled from school. I attended a court hearing in hopes of things getting resolved, but the judge originally sentenced me to jail. That was when my dad intervened. He walked up to the judge and gave him a wad of banknotes as a bribe. That was what reduced my sentence to a year of probation in Tokyo. Shujin Academy was the only school in Japan that would accept my transfer. But even after my probation ends, I can't act like nothing is wrong. Between my new criminal record and all the rumors at my old school, I don't think I can have a normal life anymore."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"WHAT?!" Ryuji shouted. "The hell, man! How much shittier can that asshole get?!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"But...he might be right..." Ren admitted. "If I didn't interfere, I would still be back home living a normal school life..."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you for real?!" Ryuji angrily asked. "If it was me, I wouldn't calm down until I punched that dick in the face! And your father had to bribe the judge to keep you outta jail?! The hell's wrong with him?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My parents are...influential," Ren explained. "They're a bit too protective of me and they think money can solve everything. My dad explained the bribe was because he was worried someone like me wouldn't survive prison."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji caught on with what that meant. "They know about...you know what?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response. "It surprised me when I told them," he recalled. "But they said they didn't care who I dated. I'm still their son and they just want me to be happy."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you left your hometown, and you're livin' here now, huh?" Ryuji recapped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah," Ren replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh... We might be more alike than I originally thought," Ryuji commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How so?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... It's not exactly 'how', but...y'know," Ryuji clarified. He sighed. "I guess it's how we're treated likes pains in the ass by the people around us, like we don't belong. I did something stupid at school before, too."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whatever it is, it can't be as bad as handing out store-bought cookies to girls who gave you love chocolate," Ren joked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji chuckled in response before finishing up his bowl of ramen. "The place you're livin' now is in Yongen, right?" he asked, changing topics. "It's rush hour on the subways. I suggest you kill some time before headin' home." He noticed Ren's bowl of ramen was still full. "What the hell, man. You barely touched your food."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It looks fattening," Ren explained, fiddling with his chopsticks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What, you're worried about your weight?" Ryuji teased.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes," Ren bluntly answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll help you out," Ryuji offered as he took a bit of ramen from Ren's bowl. "I gotta thank you for helpin' me. Anyways, I got your back like you got mine from tomorrow on. As long as we do something about Kamoshida, I'm sure we'll both feel better about bein' at school."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hope so," Ren agreed. He was still worried about the rumors, though.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, yeah!" Ryuji exclaimed, remembering something. He took out his phone. "Tell me your number. Chat ID too."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took out his phone as well. "So what's the plan for tomorrow?" he asked as he and Ryuji exchanged contact information.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"First, let's hit up those guys that were kept as slaves," Ryuji explained. "The volleyball rally's tomorrow, huh? Shit's recommended by Kamoshida. Makes me wanna gag. But thanks to that, we got no classes in the afternoon and we can walk around unnoticed."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wouldn't Kamoshida notice our absence?" Ren pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, I guess we can work out the details tomorrow..." Ryuji admitted. He noticed Ren's bowl of ramen was still full. "C'mon, you gotta eat more! There's tons of ginger here."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">After hanging out a bit more with Ryuji, Ren headed back to LeBlanc. Sure enough, Sojiro was waiting for him.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're home," Sojiro said. "I take it you actually went to school today?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, sir," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess you learned your lesson after what happened yesterday," Sojiro commented. "As long as you're not getting into trouble, it's fine by me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ren's phone started ringing. He opened it up, noticing he received a notification on his Messenger app.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hey, I decided to go ahead and message you. Can you see this?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yep.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm gonna be counting on your tomorrow, OK?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">With the volleyball rally? Sure, but I'm still a little worried. We might get caught if we're not careful.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Don't worry about it! We've come this far, so you gotta stick with me to the end. Let's save those guys who've been getting abused. You and me.</span></p><p class="p2">"Who's that you're talking to?" Sojiro asked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, just a new friend," Ren casually answered. "We're talking about tomorrow's volleyball rally."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Alright," Sojiro replied. "Just stay away from bad influences, okay?"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Later that night, Ren found himself back in the Velvet Room after heading off to bed. But unlike his previous visit, he was greeted by disappointed expressions.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Welcome back to my Velvet Room," Igor said. "There is something that I wish to discuss with you. It's about your recent visit in the Metaverse."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you already know I can't summon my Persona properly," Ren guessed. "Is there any way I can fix it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There is but one way to restore your Persona back into its original power," Igor continued. "You must embrace your true self and accept all your flaws. Only then will you reach your true potential."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But I already did that," Ren recalled, thinking back to his awakening from yesterday.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yet it appears that there is something still troubling you," Justine pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you better get to work on fixing whatever the issue is!" Caroline ordered.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Unless you let go of your turmoil, your powers will remain limited," Igor continued. "You won't be able to wield multiple Personas or even fuse them. Are you fine with that?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No," Ren admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then perhaps you would feel more comfortable if you forged more partnerships," Igor advised. "Today, you entered one with someone who awoke to the same power, did you not?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean Ryuji?" Ren checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That is correct," Igor confirmed. "Involving yourself with others is an important foundation for your recovery. You've done well. That said, I am not advising the formation of superficial relationships. It must not be of frivolity, but a ring of those who would, by morals or faith, lend you their strength. In other words, they are bonds with those who have been robbed of their places to belong, much like yourself. The expansion of said ring will, in return, help you mature as well. And who knows? Perhaps these bonds will allow you to feel more comfortable with expressing your true self."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But what if it's not enough?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then you shall remain the weakest Wild Card in history," Igor answered. "But fear not. You will understand how important your bonds truly are in due time. Continue devoting yourself to your rehabilitation."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now this conversation's over!" Caroline shouted. "Get lost, Inmate!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the Velvet Room visit over, Ren felt himself fading back to the real world, still feeling unsure about this new information. Yet even if Igor was right about the bonds, if this 'turmoil' was exactly what he thinks it is, it might take more than a few bonds to truly resolve his issue...</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Volleyball Rally Punch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>What’s really going on with Kamoshida?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The volleyball rally was just as Ren was expecting. It was essentially a students vs. teachers event that was supposedly about getting to know each other and mostly have fun. And yet...it seemed entirely one-sided. With Kamoshida on the teachers' team, they kept on dominating the students in every single round.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But then things took a darker turn when Ren was taking part in one of the matches. Whenever the teachers threw the ball over to him, it felt more like he was being punched several times. But he gritted his teeth and dealt with the pain, not wanting to cause a scene even when he nearly fell over a few times.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And then, it happened.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kamoshida delivered a powerful spike right at Ren. But before he could react, the ball smacked him right in the face, knocking off his glasses in the process. The entire room went silent, with the only sound being Ren's gasping breath. After a few seconds, he looked up at Kamoshida. And with a sudden burst of confidence, the teen delivered a death glare at the teacher.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At first it looked like Kamoshida was surprised by the death glare, but he quickly regained composure. "Y-You're up next, Mishima!" he said. "Someone, take Amamiya to the nurse's office!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll go," Ryuji volunteered. He walked over to Ren as the dark-haired teen picked up his glasses and put them back on. As they left the gym, there were hushed whispers among the students.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Did you see that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No one's ever looked at Kamoshida like that before!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That kid's got guts to stand up to him!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Over at the nurse's office, Ren had put an ice pack on his bruised cheek. According to the nurse, the injury should heal within a few days. Ren was glad to hear that, but his jaw still felt a bit sore.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That asshole's actin' like a king over here too!" Ryuji vented. "Get to know each other better, my ass... It's just a one-man show for him to stroke his ego!" He smirked. "But man, did you see the look on his face when you gave him that death glare?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This should give us enough time to find those students we saw yesterday," Ren spoke up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That surprised Ryuji. "...You planned this?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He would have been suspicious if we left during the rally," Ren explained. "As long as he thinks we're in the nurse's office, we're free to find the students and ask them some questions."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whoa... That's a smart move," Ryuji compliment. "Not bad, RenRen."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren smirked as he pushed up his glasses. "All the members of the team should be here today," Ryuji continued. "I'll be sure to find someone to spill about Kamoshida's physical abuse."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So who should we find first?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The first one that popped out was a guy from Class D, so let's start there," Ryuji answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's my class," Ren pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hopefully you can get him to talk without any issues," Ryuji replied. "People have been avoidin' me lately, so..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren stared blankly at Ryuji. "Do you think the weird transfer student with a criminal record would have an easier time talking to him?" he sarcastically pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right..." Ryuji realized. "You're kinda in the same boat."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, Ren and Ryuji proceeded to head over to Class D. Along the way, they met up with other students who were injured as well, presumably from the volleyball team as well. But every time they asked them about Kamoshida, they all instantly denied it without question, even if the injuries looked completely severe. Eventually the two decided it would be better to split up to cover more ground before the rally ended.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At one point, Ren overheard the conversation between two girls, one of which was the same blonde girl from his class. The other one was a girl with ponytail and a black knee brace on her right leg.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Everyone's saying a lot of bad stuff about that transfer student in your class, Ann..." the ponytail girl said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I know," the blonde girl, Ann, replied. "I hate rumors already, but they're only getting more and more complex as time goes on."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wonder if he's alright..." the ponytail girl wondered. "I hope he's not letting it get to him too much."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's just like you, Shiho," Ann said. "Always worrying about other people before yourself. Kinda like when you were there for me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was surprised to hear their words. It sounded like not every student completely hated or feared him.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Unfortunately, the questioning didn't turn out so well. Yet Ren noticed a single name kept on popping up: Mishima. According to the volleyball members, he was receiving special coaching from Kamoshida, but they never fully explained what that was. But before Ren to go into further detail, an announcement revealed the volleyball rally was over.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While waiting for Ryuji at the courtyard, Ren was approached by Ann. "Can I talk to you for a sec?" she asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ren answered. "What is it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's with you?" Ann asked in response. "Like, how you were late the other day was a lie and all. There's that rumor about you too."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Which rumor?" Ren questioned. "The one about my criminal record, or the one about my weird behavior?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whaddya want with him?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came from Ryuji, who finally arrived. "Right back at you," Ann responded. "You're not even in our class."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We just...happened to get to know each other," Ryuji explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What're you planning on doing to Mr. Kamoshida?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji got suspicious. "I see. I getcha," he said. "You're all buddy-buddy with Kamoshida after all."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This has nothing to do with you, Sakamoto!" Ann shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you found out what he's been doin' behind your back, you'd dump him right away," Ryuji continued.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Behind my back...?" Ann echoed, speaking in a softer tone. "What's that supposed to mean?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji sighed. "You wouldn't get it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Anyway, people are already talking about you two," Ann continued. "I don't know what you're trying to pull, but no one's gonna help you. I'm warning you, just in case. That's all."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ren caught a glimpse of Ann's eyes. Despite her words, he could see hurt in them, the same look he once had about a year ago. He clenched his fist, quickly realizing what might be going on.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Be careful," Ren warned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann looked over at Ren. "...What was that?" she asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just...be careful," Ren repeated as he gave Ann a concerned look.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Confused by Ren's words, Ann left the courtyard, yet she still looked upset. Ren made a mental note to talk to her, just in case his suspicions were correct.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why's she gotta be so aggressive all the time?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You know her?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"We just went to the same middle school," Ryuji answered. "Anyways, that's not what we're here to talk about. I had no luck on my end. What about you? Did anything like someone's name turn up?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just one," Ren replied. "Everyone I talked to mention someone called 'Mishima' receiving special coaching. I think it's the same Mishima from my class and the volleyball rally."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh...?" Ryuji muttered. "Special coaching, huh?" He nodded in agreement. "True. I always see the guy covered in bruises. Let's go talk to him before he leaves then."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">...</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...I see."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's what happened."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's no way I can fix this, huh?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Looks like if he wants to regain full power, he has to solve this problem himself."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And if that's the case, I better keep a close eye on him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who knows what might happen if things get out of hand."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Morgana's Special Plan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With the volleyball team keeping quiet, a chance encounter with a black cat changes everything...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily Ren and Ryuji were able to catch up to Mishima just as he was about to leave school. Sure enough, he was all bruised up with a bandage on his left arm.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, got a second?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sakamoto?" Mishima muttered, taking a step back in fear. He saw Ren. "And you, too...?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're here to talk about Kamoshida," Ren spoke up. "Your teammates have mentioned you were receiving special coaching from him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You sure it's not just physical abuse?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Certainly not!" Mishima yelped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What're you talkin' all polite for?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Mishima didn't respond. "If Kamoshida isn't using physical abuse, how would you explain what happened during the volleyball rally?" Ren questioned, referring to his still-bruised cheek. "He spiked me in the face."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That was probably because you're not athletic..." Mishima answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Still, that doesn't explain your own bruises," Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They're from practice!" Mishima insisted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is he forcin' you to keep quiet?" Ryuji guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Mishima averted his eyes. "That's..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's going on here?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came from Kamoshida. "Mishima, isn't it time for practice?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Mishima flinched upon hearing the word 'practice'. "I-I'm not feeling well today..." he stammered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What? Maybe you're better off quitting then," Kamoshida assumed. "You're never going to improve that crappy form unless you show up to practice."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Didn't you hear?" Ryuji angrily asked. "He ain't feelin' well!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, Mishima?" Kamoshida asked, completely ignoring Ryuji. "Are you coming to practice or not?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...I'll go," Mishima sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kamoshida glared at Ryuji. "As for you, any more trouble and you'll be gone from this school for sure," he threatened. Then he looked over at Ren. "Same goes for you. Didn't the principal tell you to keep in line?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren didn't say anything. His response was in the form of a silent glare as he pushed up his glasses. But in actuality, he was so angry at Kamoshida for the spike during the volleyball rally, but he chose to remain quiet to avoid causing a scene.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just don't get in the way of my practice," Kamoshida warned. "All these unsettling rumors are making the students anxious, after all."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's your own goddamn fault," Ryuji spoke up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This won't get us anywhere," Kamoshida dismissed. "Let's go, Mishima."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Right before leaving school, Ren and Ryuji found out the whole abuse thing was public knowledge to the entire volleyball team. Worse, the principal and the students' parents all decided to keep quiet about it. Regardless, the two refused to quit and let Kamoshida win. While Ryuji decided to try persuading the other students, Ren instead chose to focus on Ann. That sad gaze she had when they last spoke was still bothering him, and he was determined to figure out if his suspicions were true. Ryuji kept on dismissing her due to supposedly being a 'follower' of Kamoshida, but Ren had a feeling what was really going on. He couldn't ignore it. She might get hurt...or worse.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily for Ren, during afternoon classes the next day, he found out Ryuji was thinking the same thing...sort of.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So about witnesses... I was wondering if we could get something outta Takamaki.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I already have plans to try to talk to her.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Really?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">She seemed a bit off yesterday. I want to make sure she's alright.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That's not what I had in mind. You know how we didn't get a thing outta the volleyball team? I figured it'd be a good idea to talk to someone who knows them. Takamaki's BFFs with a starter. A girl name Suzui. I tried to talk to that girl during break, but I got nothing. That's why we should have Takamaki talk to her. Then again, I guess it'll be hard getting her to help us... Sorry. Lemme see what else I can come up with.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Does Suzui have her hair tied up in a ponytail and wears a knee brace?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I think so.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I saw her talking to Takamaki yesterday. From what I overheard, she seemed perfectly fine. I should try to find either one of the girls after class.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">How come?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It's about that thing I told you about.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You mean...that whole...you know.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Just leave Takamaki and Suzui to me. If I'm right, then they're in the same spot I was in last year. I have to step in before someone gets hurt.</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">After class, Ren headed over to the courtyard to meet up with Ryuji. But along the way, he came across Shiho, who was checking her phone. There was a large bruise on her forehead, above her left eye, which worried him.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you alright?" Ren asked, speaking in a concerned tone.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...What?" Shiho muttered. She looked up from her phone. "Oh... I'm in the way, aren't I? Sorry..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't let Kamoshida get to you," Ren advised. "If he tries to talk to you, don't stop. Just run. He'll only win if you let him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shiho was surprised by those words. "...What are you talking about?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I used to be in the same boat you're in," Ren answered. "Trust me. It will only get worse if you let it continue."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hm, you don't look familiar," Shiho commented. "Could you be that transfer student from Class D?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I am," Ren answered with a nod.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Um, this might not be any of my business, but don't let the rumors get to you, okay?" Shiho asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm more worried about you," Ren replied. "I want you to stay safe."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shiho let out a small gasp. "Th-Thanks..." she stammered, blushing slightly. "You're pretty nice. Anyway, I have to go to practice. I'll see you around."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At the courtyard, Ryuji told Ren he failed on his end. It looked like no one was going to confess about Kamoshida's abuse, leaving the two friends no other choice but to confront him directly. That was when they came across a black cat, who turned out to be Morgana in a different body. But before he could explain further details, the group had to move to the school rooftop to avoid suspicion. It looked like Ren and Ryuji were the only ones who could hear Morgana talk, whereas his words only sounded like meows to everyone else.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the group in a secret location, Morgana proceeded to explain their only way to take down Kamoshida. The castle they visited represented his distorted desires, but if that was gone, those same desires would go as well. This would cause a change in heart in him, which would result in him confessing to his crimes. But to do that, they had to steal the castle's treasure. However, not everyone was fully committed to the plan.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You said the castle is connected to Kamoshida's desires," Ren recalled. "Would that mean Kamoshida will lose all of his desires?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What're you gettin' at?" Ryuji asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I get what Ren is saying," Morgana chimed in. "Desires are what we all need in order to survive. The will to sleep, eat, fall in love... Those sorts of things. If all those yearnings were to vanish, they'd be no different than someone who has shut down entirely."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we might end up putting Kamoshida into an endless slumber," Ren guessed as he pushed up his glasses. "Or worse, die."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji was alarmed to hear that. "Would their deaths be our fault?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Aren't you determined enough to face those kinds of risks?" Morgana challenged.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey... What do you think, Ren?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It might be too risky," Ren answered. "...Among other reasons."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana wasn't happy to hear that. "Sheesh... I come all this way, and this is what I get," he complained. "It's not like anyone will ever find out. Besides, isn't this your only option?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren didn't respond. "I'll come back later," Morgana decided. "Make sure you've made your decision by then." And with that, he scampered off.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Man, we're gettin' all worked up for nothing..." Ryuji complained. "I'll try and see if I can figure out another way. C'mon, let's get outta here."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Forced Consent</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren finally crosses paths with Ann and they exchange similar backgrounds.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: This chapter includes descriptions of sexual assault. Please skip the Big Bang Burger section of the story if such content bothers you.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Right before Ren left school for the day, he received a text from Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Yo, some of the guys in my class have been talking. About that Suzui girl... Looks like the rumors are going around about her and Kamoshida. If they're true, it's no wonder I couldn't get her to talk.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I actually spoke to her before meeting up with you. She told me to not let the rumors bother me, but she didn't respond to my warnings about Kamoshida.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Still, something about the rumors I heard doesn't seem right. I've know Takamaki and Suzui since middle school. There's just no way Kamoshida's their type, y'know? So... I gotta wonder where those rumors came from.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Probably from Kamoshida himself. If I'm right, he's doing this to make himself look good by comparison.</span>
</p><p class="p2">RYUJI:<br/><span class="s1">I guess we'll get to it tomorrow. See ya!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the text-conversation over, Ren put his phone away and left the school. But as he walked, her overheard the conversations of a few passerby students.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Takamaki always looks kind of unhappy whenever Mr. Kamoshida talks to her."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maybe she doesn't wanna talk to him at school to show off how she's got him wrapped around her finger? Ugh... Gross."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, so that's what's going on... I wonder how far they've gone together..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I saw that new transfer student hanging out with Sakamoto-kun. The two of them are so scary..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He doesn't look like the kind of guy who'd have a criminal record. Maybe he's one of those. You know, the people in those accidents. Maybe he suddenly freaks out and attacks people."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Huh? I don't think so. He's just been coming to school. Actually, he almost seems normal. Even if those rumors aren't true, he's still a weird freak who doesn't even like girls."</p><p class="p2">"Sakamoto's been asking questions about they volleyball team. Just who does he think he is?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The volleyball team's never going to tell him anything. They're all completely loyal to Kamoshida."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, if Kamoshida likes them, their future is pretty much set. Of course they'd back him up. Speaking of which, I hear Kamoshida's new favorite girl is someone named Suzui."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, that girl who was chosen to be a regular? Ah, her face was all swollen. It looked pretty bad."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>"So that's what everyone is saying,"</em> Ren thought to himself. He had to make sure to talk to Ann or Shiho no matter what.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">A while later, Ren left the subway when he overheard a familiar voice.</p><p class="p2">"Will you please give it a rest?! I told you, I'm not feeling up to it?!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sure enough, that came from Ann, who was currently on the phone with someone. "Wait, what?!" she asked after a brief pause. "That's not what you promised! And you call yourself a teacher?! This has nothing to do with Shiho!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren could hear a busy signal. Ann hung up her phone, muttering something about a starting position. He couldn't ignore it. He had to get involved, so he walked over to her. His presence surprised the blonde girl.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Wait... Were you listening?" Ann asked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That was Kamoshida on the phone, wasn't it?" Ren guessed, speaking in a low whisper.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Haven't you heard of privacy?" Ann angrily asked.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Not when it's something I can't ignore," Ren firmly answered.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann sighed in defeat, tears brimming from her eyes. "...No, I was out of line," she apologized. "Sorry." She wiped the tears away. "So how much did you hear?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The entire outburst," Ren answered. "I know that was Kamoshida on the other end."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"It's nothing at all," Ann dismissed. "Nothing..." But before she could run off, a single sentence made her stop.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"When someone says it's nothing, it's always something," Ren said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann slowly looked back at Ren. "Why...?" she asked. "Why do you keep worrying about me?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because I know exactly what you're going through," Ren answered. "Come on, let's go somewhere safe."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the heck...?" Ann muttered. "I really don't get you..."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Ren brought Ann over to a restaurant called Big Bang Burger. They were able to find a booth far away from the other customers, so they could talk in privacy.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't have anything to talk about with you," Ann said. "It was just an argument..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"With Kamoshida?" Ren repeated.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You heard every last word then..." Ann realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Seeing that Ann was stressed out, Ren sighed. "Would it help if I told you my experience first?" he offered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Maybe," Ann answered. "Did something happened to you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Last year, back in my old high school," Ren said. "There was a senior girl named Ume Sano. She was the most popular girl in her grade. A lot of guys admired her. But when I started high school, she heard about the rumors about how I turned down the love confessions of the popular girls back in middle school. I'm not sure when it happened or why she did it, but she started to target me.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It was subtle at first. She offered to help me study for exams after school. She seemed nice at first, so I said yes. But after a while, she started to get clingy towards me. She kept on insisting to help me study every day as the weeks passed. She couldn't let me leave school until we studied in the library. She said it was because she heard about the rumors and she took pity on me. That was around the time she started gets physical. She kept on touching me whenever we studied and she kept on getting closer to me. Then one day, it happened.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Instead of dragging me into a library, she forced me into an empty classroom and locked the door. She started to act like a flirt, telling me how much she loved me and that I was special to her. She felt bad about the rumors, so she wanted to fix me. That was when she...started undressing me. She forced herself on me with rough kisses and inappropriate touching. I don't want to get into too much detail, but she took everything that night. By the time she was done, there was no going back.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"The next day, word got out about how easy I was. That was when other girls started approaching me. They weren't as bad as Sano, but they touched me and tried to force themselves on me. But no matter how hard I tried, they wouldn't stop. I felt disgusted for letting it get this bad. If I didn't transfer here, it probably would have continued."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann let out a gasp. "That's terrible..." she muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that point, Ren was visibly shaking, but he took a deep breath to calm down. "...That's pretty much what happened to me," he concluded. "So what about you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right..." Ann remembered. "You've heard the rumors...haven't you?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"With Kamoshida?" Ren asked in response. "It's the only thing everyone talks about."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Everyone says we're getting it on," Ann continued. "But...that's so not true...! You were right. That was him on the other line. I avoided giving him my number...for the longest time... He told me to go to his place after this... You know what it means."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then why would you let him win?" Ren questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If I turn him down, he said he'd take my friend off as a regular on the team," Ann answered, looking down at the table. "I've been telling myself this is all for Shiho's sake..." She leaned back. "I can't take it anymore... I've had enough of this! I hate him! But still...Shiho's my best friend. She's all I have left at that sorry excuse of a school! Tell me... What should I do?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren tightly gripped his knees, horrified with the reveal. It was just as bad as his own experience, maybe even worse...</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Sorry..." Ann muttered as she wiped her tears away. "I shouldn't have asked. It's not your problem."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren leaned closer to Ann. "Rape is something I can't ignore," he insisted. "You said it's not my problem, but I don't want anyone to deal with the same pain I went through. If Kamoshida tries to stop you, just run and don't look back. If you agree to his demands, things will only get worse."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann was taken back by Ren's words. "...You're so weird," she commented. "Usually everyone just ignores me. Are you really a bad person? I've heard people talking about you, but...I just don't see it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nervously averted his eyes from Ann. "That's what your friend told me earlier today," he recalled. "Usually girls would get weirded out and avoid me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But why?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's complicated..." Ren muttered, pushing up his glasses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I kinda had a feeling they were all just exaggerations," Ann admitted. "You seemed lonely, almost like you didn't belong anywhere... We're the same in that regard. Maybe that's why it was so easy for me to talk to you." She sighed. "Is there really no way for me to help Shiho? I wish he's just change his mind... Like, forget about me and everything..." She paused. "As if something like that would happen..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It could happen," Ren replied. "But for now, you have to say no. And if Kamoshida does try to get your friend involved, protect her at all costs. You're right, it has nothing to do with her. Make sure he knows that loud and clear."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann smiled in response. "Thanks..." she said. "I do feel a bit better now. I'm gonna head home." She picked up her bag and stood up. "Don't tell anyone what I told you, okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"As long as you don't tell anyone about Sano," Ren replied as he also stood up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I won't," Ann reassured. "I'll use your advice to think of a way to persuade Kamoshida. Well...thanks."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">After saying goodbye to Ann, Ren headed back to LeBlanc. Sure enough, Sojiro was waiting for him.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're late," Sojiro said in a stern tone. "Where have you been?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A restaurant called Big Bang Burger with a classmate," Ren answered honestly. "She needed someone to talk to."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A girl, huh?" Sojiro asked. "By the way, you haven't been hanging around any bad influences, have you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course not, sir," Ren replied. "I'm mostly focusing on my studies."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just make sure you're careful who your friends are," Sojiro advised. "You don't want them ruining your life."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, Ren was about to get ready for bed when he received a text from Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">So, whaddya think about what Morgana told us?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I haven't really thought about it. I'm still worried about possibly killing someone.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I dunno if I get all that stuff about stealing desires... And Kamoshida's gonna turn like, brain dead if we mess up, right?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">What if he deserves it?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I mean, sure I'm pissed at him, but I dunno if I really wanna kill the guy...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren didn't respond right away, still thinking about his conversation with Ann. While he did want Kamoshida's crimes to get exposed, he wasn't entirely sure if death was a good call.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">If I have to be honest, I'm not sure what to say.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Maybe I'm just freaking out, but I don't wanna end up a murderer cause of this shit. Oh well... I'll try and see if I can come up with some other way tonight.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Thanks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Ren put his phone away, he still thought about what Ann told him. Hopefully she took his advice and ended things with Kamoshida as soon as they parted ways.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. I Can't Ignore It</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“I know his nose is incredibly punchable, but still, you can’t!”<br/>—JohneAwesome</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day started off pretty normal. Ren went to school, but he couldn't help but notice the students wouldn't stop talking about Shiho and Kamoshida.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't believe Suzui-senpai missed such an important meeting. I wonder what happened."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Mr. Kamoshida asked to see her. I've heard rumors about how the two of them stay later together."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wonder what's going on. You don't think they're...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nah, it couldn't be."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was furious at those rumors, but he kept quiet. Hopefully Ann was able to get herself and Shiho away from Kamoshida. But then way those girls talked... It reminded him of how similar rumors spread about him and Sano. After the rape incident, he began to see her as a monstrous queen bee who believe she could get away with anything. And the way Kamoshida was acting, it was just like Sano's own behavior.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That was why Ren couldn't ignore it. He couldn't let that creep get away with abuse.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Ren's first class for the day was Mr. Ushimaru. He was talking about the three branches of government when a familiar voice broke his concentration.</p><p class="p2">"Have you made up your mind?" Morgana asked, popping out of Ren's desk. "No matter how much thinking you do, there's only one option. You'd be better off just listening to me."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shhhh!" Ren whispered, his eyes widening in concern.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Did I just hear a cat just meow?" Mr. Ushimaru suddenly asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Ren could come up with an excuse, he heard his phone vibrate. It was a text from Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">It's no use. I can't think of any other way.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Do you mind? I'm trying to concentrate on class. You should do the same.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I can't deal with that shit right now. I mean, what're we gonna do about Kamoshida? Do we just gotta go with what that cat says?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I'm more worried about Takamaki and Suzui. Their issues with Kamoshida remind me of my own struggles last year. I was able to talk to Takamaki yesterday, so hopefully she took my advice.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey... What's that?!" a male student suddenly asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Enough!" Mr. Ushimaru shouted. "This is a classroom!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait... She's going to jump!" a female student shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Mishima stood up in his seat. "Suzui...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, everything was a blur for Ren. Upon hearing Shiho's name, he bolted from the classroom as fast as he could, not caring that Mr. Ushimaru was telling him to get back in. All he could think about was getting to the roof. He had to save Shiho no matter what.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">It took a while, but Ren was able to get to the roof. But as he slammed the door open, it felt like everything was slowing down. "Suzui, wait!" he shouted as he reached out to her.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But all he saw was a girl falling face-first off the roof.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A whirlwind of emotions clouded Ren's thinking. At first he was horrified with what he had witnessed, covering his mouth as he gasped for breath. The next emotions he felt were grief and regret, realizing it would have been avoided if he did more than offer advice. He let out a frustrated scream as he bent over, pounding his fist on the ground. But there was one emotion that eventually overtook his sense of reason: pure rage.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He had to make Kamoshida pay.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">While the other students only looked on and took pictures and photos, the paramedics arrived and put Shiho on a gurney. Ryuji was able to squeeze his way through the crowd as Ann approached her semi-conscious friend. Worst of all, the onlookers didn't do anything to help.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the hell's wrong with these people?!" Ryuji wondered aloud.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We need someone to go with her," a paramedic spoke up. "Are there any teachers around?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I'm not in charge of her class though..." a nearby teacher stammered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"W-We should leave this to Principal Kobayakawa..." another teacher suggested.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann stepped forward. "I'll go!" she volunteered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please hurry!" the pandemic urged.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Shiho was escorted to the hospital van, Ann walked over to her. "Shiho... Why?" the blonde girl asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ann...?" Shiho muttered, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm sorry. I... I can't take this...anymore..." She then whispered a single word into Ann's ear.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Kamoshida?" Ann muttered in shock.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the two girls in the hospital van, it drove off as the teachers tried to calm down the students. Yet as the crowd dispersed, Mishima ran over to Ryuji, clearly panicked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Mishima?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...I-It's Amamiya!" Mishima gasped. "He's heading for the PE faculty office! We have to stop him!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What for?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not sure..." Mishima admitted. "But he didn't look right. We better stop him before he does something reckless!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sure enough, as soon as Ren got to the PE faculty office, he slammed the door open, breathing heavily. Sure enough, Kamoshida was already in the room.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hello, Amamiya," Kamoshida said, turning to face the dark-haired student. "Can I help y-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">POW!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ryuji and Mishima entered the room, only to see Ren withdrawing his now-hurt fist as he let out an angry scream. Ryuji's jaw dropped in shock while Mishima was too surprised to speak. After all, no one has ever stood up to Kamoshida like that before. Let alone, dish out a brutal punch like that.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You did it..." Ren muttered after a few more seconds of silence.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I beg your pardon?" Kamoshida asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You raped Shiho Suzui!" Ren shouted. "She jumped off the school because of you!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That is enough!" Kamoshida exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What you did...wasn't coaching...!" Mishima spoke up. "You... You ordered me to call Suzui here... I can only imagine what you did to her!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kamoshida stood up. "You're going on and on about things you have no proof of..." he told Mishima. "Basically, you're simply making these claims because you can't be a regular on the team, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not what this is about!" Mishima denied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Even if it is exactly as you imagine it to be, hypothetically speaking, what an you do?" Kamoshida asked. "We just received a call from the hospital. Suzui's in a coma, and her chances of recovery are slim. How would someone like that make a statement?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No..." Mishima gasped. "That can't be..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You goddamn...!" Ryuji growled, trying to restrain himself.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This again?" Kamoshida asked, looking over at Ryuji. "Does this mean we need to have yet another case of self-defense?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You shut your mouth, you son of a bitch!" Ryuji shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">Kamoshida went back to his desk. "Everyone present right now will be expelled," he decided. "I'm reporting all of you at the next board meeting, especially Amamiya for attacking a teacher."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?!" Ryuji exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You can't make a decision like that!" Mishima pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who would seriously consider what scum like you say?" Kamoshida asked. "You threatened me too, Mishima, so you're just as responsible. To think you didn't know why I kept someone as talentless as you on the team. You act like you're a victim, but you leaked Amamiya's criminal records and the rumors from his old school, didn't you? It's all over the internet, correct? How terrible."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Mishima...?" Ryuji muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You did WHAT?" Ren angrily asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He told me to do it..." Mishima admitted. "I had no choice..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now, are we all finished here?" Kamoshida asked. "You're all expelled! You're done for. Your futures are mine to take. Now get out of my sight."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't believe this asshole's gettin' away with this!" Ryuji shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's angry gaze was fixated on Kamoshida. "I'll make you eat your words," he threatened as he pushed up his glasses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Have you lost your mind?" Kamoshida responded. "You aren't making any sense, but sure, go ahead and try. After all, you'll have plenty of time to kill until expulsion."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Beginning Navigation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With their minds made up, the team begins their plan to steal Kamoshida’s treasure...with an unexpected tagalong.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">For the rest of the school day, Ren was unable to concentrate in class. All he could think about was taking down Kamoshida. He wasn't sure what he did to Shiho that led to her committing suicide, but he had a feeling it was similar to that one time...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">
    <em>"Come on, sweetie. Those lips of yours might resist, but your body says otherwise. Don't deny the pleasures you really want."</em>
  </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren felt a deep shudder in his spine. It might have been so long ago, but he was still haunted by that memory. He could never forget the way Sano was touching him and her lustful gaze as she forcefully stripped him. Fearing that something similar happened to Shiho made up his mind. Once he was done with classes, he was going to take down Kamoshida.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Once classes were done, Ren met up with Ryuji and Morgana in the courtyard. "We can't waste and time," Ryuji decided as he pounded his fist on a vending machine. "We gotta hurry up and go to that world and beat the shit outta that asshole!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're not beating him up!" Morgana corrected. "We're simply stealing his distorted desires. Can I assume that you've made up your mind about this? About how he might suffer a mental shutdown?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I have," Ryuji decided. "Someone almost died because of him! I don't give a rat's ass what happens to him anymore!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And you, Ren?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I made my decision when I punched that sleezeball in the nose," Ren replied as he pushed up his glasses. "He has to pay for raping Suzui."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There you have it," Morgana said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"By the way, is gettin' rid of a Palace hard?" Ryuji checked. "You've tried it before, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana froze up. "Sort of..." he muttered, nervously glancing at Ren. He shook his head. "I-I mean, it's really hard when you're infiltrating alone!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Eh? You feelin' all right?" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is it true that you're getting expelled?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came from Ann, who just walked over to the group. "Everyone's talking about it..." she continued.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That asshole's at it again!" Ryuji muttered under his breath. He looked over at Ann. "So you came all this way to tell us that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you're going to deal with Kamoshida...let me in on it too," Ann suggested. "I can't just sit back and do nothing after what happened to Shiho!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This has nothing to do with you," Ryuji warned. "Don't butt your head into this-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It does," Ren interrupted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?!" Ryuji yelped. "But-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I want to avenge Suzui, too," Ren told Ann. "You have every right to know about our plan."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You for real?!" Ryuji shouted. "We can't take her somewhere like that!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But we might need more help," Ren pointed out. He looked back at Morgana. "You did say infiltrating by yourself is hard. The more people on our team, the easier our infiltration will become."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You have a good point," Morgana spoke up. "She can come, but just for today. Without a Persona, there's a good chance of her getting hurt."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Fine," Ryuji muttered. He looked back at Ren. "But you better keep a close eye on her!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, Ren, Ryuji, and Morgana brought Ann over to the alleyway near school. "The moment we cross over, we'll treat each other like phantom thieves, so I hope you're ready," Morgana instructed.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Huh? Phantom thieves?" Ryuji repeated.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Those who covertly sneak in and stylishly steal treasure," Morgana clarified. "That is what we become!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That sounds kinda cool!" Ryuji complimented.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Stylishly...?" Ren echoed, suddenly feeling self-conscious.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You got a problem with that?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nervously tugged on his glasses. "Um... I'm not really comfortable with being 'stylish'..." he shyly admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"C'mon, RenRen!" Ryuji encouraged. "You looked so cool in that outfit of yours!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren gasped slightly, his cheeks turning pink. "Th-Thanks..." he muttered, pushing up his glasses in an attempt to avert his gaze.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So...what's this plan of yours?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji took out his phone. "We just gotta say the school, Kamoshida's name, and 'castle'," he explained. "Then we end up in a bizarro world. Now let's show that effin' Kamoshida!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">One app-teleportation later, the team ended up in front of the castle. To Ren's relief, he was back in his thief attire. Yet while he, Ryuji, and Morgana was perfectly calm, Ann was...anything but.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What is this?!" the blonde girl panicked. She saw the two guys. "Sakamoto?! And...are you Amamiya-kun?!" She looked around the distorted area. "What's going on?! Hey, where are we?! Isn't this the school?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily Ren quickly shushed her, clasping his hand over her mouth. "Keep it down," he wanted, speaking in a hushed voice. "We can't let the guards find us."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana was surprised to see Ann. "I see," he said. "Looks like she was able to come because of that app thing. If multiple people can enter with the person who uses it, it stands to reason it'll pull anyone nearby."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"For real?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann pulled Ren's hand away from her mouth. "Wait, so THIS is related to Kamoshida?" she checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It is, but you have to keep quiet," Morgana instructed. "The Shadows are going to find us if you make a scene."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann quickly realized Morgana was talking. "No way! It talked?!" she panicked. "Oh my god, it's a monster cat!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Monster...?" Morgana muttered, hurt by that comment.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You better explain what's going on!" Ann demanded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just know that we're infiltrating this castle in order to stop Kamoshida," Ren explained. "There's a lot more to that, but we'll explain once we get back to the real world."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... Okay..." Ann stammered, still confused.</span>
</p><p class="p2">As the group headed over to the infiltration entrance, Morgana looked over at Ann. "Her name is Ann Takamaki, right?" he muttered to himself. "Lady Ann..."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. A New Ally</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sometimes creative loopholes have to be taken to retain the original narrative...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before the group could enter the Palace, they could hear sounds coming from inside. "The Shadows have noticed us," Morgana warned. "You better brace yourselves, got it?" He looked over at Ren. "We're counting on you, Switch!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's eyes widened in confusion. "What did you call me?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's a codename," Morgana explained. "What kind of stupid phantom thief would use their real name?! I'm not down for that! And there's no telling what kind of effect yelling our real names will have on the Palace. It's just a precaution."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann cringed slightly, knowing Morgana was probably referring to her panicked outburst from earlier.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So, uh... Why's he Switch?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because his powers keep turning on and off, like a light switch," Morgana explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren, on the other hand, was embarrassed. "I'm not using that codename," he dismissed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just go with it!" Morgana insisted. "You're Switch!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think I can come up with something better," Ren insisted. He briefly glanced at his gloved hand. "Maybe...Joker?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why that one?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because this outfit looks like something a supervillain would wear," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right..." Morgana sighed. "You're Joker..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It ain't too bad," Ryuji complimented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Next up is you, Ryuji," Morgana continued. "You'll be..." He put a hand up to his chin in deep thought. "Let's see... Thug."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you pickin' a fight with me?!" Ryuji shouted. "I'll choose it myself!" He smiled as he adjusted his mask. "When it comes to me, it's gotta be this mask. Honestly, I actually kinda like it. What if we name me after this?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fine..." Morgana grumbled, upset that he couldn't come up with good codenames. "Why not Skull then?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ooh! That sounds awesome!" Ryuji cheered with a chuckle. "I'm Skull!" He looked over at Ren. "What do we do about this one's codename?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't come up with any," Ren claimed. In actuality, he wondered if 'ShadowCat' would work, but he didn't want to hurt the not-cat's feelings.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about Mona?" Ann suggested.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why that one?" Ryuji asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's Celtic for 'little noble one'," Ann explained. "And he looks pretty noble to me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The white fur on Morgana's face briefly turned pink. "S-Sure..." he stammered. He cleared his throat. "All right. From here on out, we're Joker, Skull, and Mona. We need to be absolutely thorough about using those codenames from now on."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Getting into the Palace was pretty darn easy. While Ryuji and Morgana took the lead, Ren stayed close to Ann, knife in hand. But as soon as they left the castle's central hall, they were stopped by a loud, booming voice.</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"Those intruders the other day were quite entertaining. However, I can't allow that trash to ransack my castle! Strengthen the security! Kill them on sight! I'll reward whoever brings me their heads!"</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Remembering a certain someone from the last visit, Ren pulled up the hood on Ann's hoodie. "Hey!" Ann yelped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren shushed Ann. "Trust me," he whispered. "It's better if you hide your face."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Hey, Mona," Ryuji whispered. "Can't we just beat the crap outta him and call it a day?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Look at all those soldiers, idiot!" Morgana whispered. "It'd be suicide. and I'm sure you don't want a repeat of last time. Besides, don't you want him to confess his sins?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren gritted his teeth in response. "There's no point in beating him up," Morgana continued. "We need to steal his materialized desires: the treasure."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fine..." Ryuji sighed. "So where is it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It has to be somewhere in the depths of this castle," Morgana answered. "Let's infiltrate further in while he's out here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The group ventured towards a nearby room in the hallway. But upon opening the door, they came across a guard waiting for them. Luckily they hid near the doorframe before they were caught.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Dammit, there's a guard over here too..." Ryuji muttered. "Whaddya wanna do? Should we kick its ass?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, an idea popped into Morgana's head. "Hold on..." he said. "This might be a good opportunity to teach you something." He whipped out his cutlass. "First we need to take it down."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With such high speed, Morgana sneaked over to the guard and swung his cutlass at it. Upon getting hit, the guard's armor melted away and revealed a small winged Shadow dressed in blue. With the Shadow revealed, Morgana proceeded a neat little trick to dealing with them. Rather than going all-out in a flurry of attacks, they could try negotiating with Shadows instead. But they could only do it while all of the enemies are too weak to fight, since they're more vulnerable in that state. So with that in mind, a single blast from Ren's gun was enough to take out this particular Shadow, allowing the three Persona wielders to corner her with their long-range weapons.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Seriously?!" the Shadow cried out. "YOU guys are the introducers that King Kamoshida was talking about?!" She sighed in defeat. "It can't get any worse than this... What're you going to do with me?!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are there any secret rooms in this castle?" Ren asked, trying to sound brave. "If so, hand over the keys!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh? So you'll let me live if I just give you something?" the Shadow assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, something along those lines..." Morgana answered with a slight shrug. "Now let it be money or items. Just cough it up!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"B-But, this happened so suddenly..." the Shadow stammered. "I actually don't have anything on me... I-I usually do though, you know?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"W-Wait, what?!" Morgana panicked. "Oh... This isn't how I was planning this to go." He quickly regained his composure. "Uhhh, if that's the case... I guess it's time for you to go to hell."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"For real?!" the Shadow panicked. "Wait a sec!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry, but we're in a hurry," Morgana said, readying his slingshot.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, wait up!" the Shadow cried out. "Can't we work something out?! Don't kill me, please! Won't you let me go?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll let you go..." Ren answered. He readied his gun and smirked. "...in hell."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The Shadow stifled a laugh. "Sorry, but that sounded rather lame," she apologized. "That was the best one-liner you could come up with?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes," Ren admitted as he blushed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But I'm the same way," the Shadow continued. "In any other situation, we'd get along really well." Her eyes widened in surprise. "Whoa, I feel different! Something's happening!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the...?!" Morgana muttered. "What's going on?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, the Shadow resumed flying and started glowing blue. "Oh yeah, I remember now!" she exclaimed. "I don't belong to King Kamoshida! I'm an existence that drifts about in the sea of humanity's souls. My real name...is Pixie! From now on, I'll live on inside your heart!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, Pixie transformed into an orb of glowing blue light and flew towards Ren's mask-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">BOING!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Surprised by the sudden deflection, Pixie regained her form. "Hey, what gives?!" she demanded. She tried again.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">BOING!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">This continued for a while, all while Ren thought back to what Igor said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s1">"Unless you let go of your turmoil, your powers will remain limited. You won't be able to wield multiple Personas or even fuse them. Are you fine with that?"</span> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Is that what Pixie was trying to do? Become another one of Ren's Personas?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Because if so, there was no way she could do that.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's no point..." Ren told Pixie. "I'm too weak..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie gasped. "But there must be something I can do!" she insisted. Then an idea popped into her head. "I know! I can use my magic to heal all wounds! If you let me live, I can provide special healing services for you and your friends!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... Sure..." Morgana reluctantly agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Thank you so much!" Pixie squealed. "You won't be disappointed!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But despite this newfound ally, Morgana was still confused. "What was that just now?" the not-cat wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji was also confused. "So we now have a healer on the team..." he recapped. "But why was she tryin' to get sucked into Joker's mask?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I have no idea!" Morgana admitted. "I wasn't expecting that either..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think it was supposed to be my full power," Ren admitted. "But it didn't work because of...that thing."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, right..." Ryuji realized. "The whole...you know."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait...what are you talking about?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Both Ren and Ryuji were reluctant to respond. After all, this was something personal. Plus Ryuji has been doing his best to keep Ren's preferences a secret. Not even Morgana knew about it-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Joker... Are you gay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">...</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">On second thought, maybe he found out on his own...</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. The Second and Third Secret Keepers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Just when you think Kamoshida couldn’t get any worse, he sinks even further.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As soon as Morgana asked that question, Ren's thief outfit disappeared in a flash of blue flames. He wasn't sure how to respond, especially since Ann was also present. Worse, the not-cat didn't keep it discreet like Ryuji did. He just...blurted it out without hesitation. That didn't do so well for his self-esteem...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Those rumors..." Ann recalled. "They were about how you turned down love confessions from a few popular girls..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren clenched his teeth and averted his eyes away from the group. "Hey... It's okay, Joker," Morgana said, walking up to the dark-haired teen with a reassuring expression. "You don't have to say anything. I could tell just by looking at you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll...explain once we get back to the real world," Ren decided. "Right now, we need to focus on-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait," Morgana interrupted. "This could actually factor into why your powers weakened ever since that first visit. Did anything different happened afterwards?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing he didn't have much of a choice, Ren sighed in defeat. "I started my first day of school," he answered. "But because of the castle, I arrived late. When I introduced myself to the class, I could hear gossip about me. It sounded like the others already knew about my criminal record and..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The rumors from your old school," Ann finished.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you sayin' that made your Persona harder to summon?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"When a Persona user awakens, they must have a strong resolution to break away from their old selves," Morgana explained. "But if that resolve isn't strong enough, it can severely weaken the Persona. Or worse, prevent the Persona from being properly summoned. Joker... Could it be that finding out everyone at school knows about your background caused your Persona to weaken?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...I think so," Ren confessed, recalling how it was harder to rip off his mask after the initial visit.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I get it now," Morgana said. "Only one heart exists per person, so normally a person can only have one Persona. But sometimes, under rare circumstances, a user is capable of possessing multiple Personas at once. It looks like you were meant to have that same power, but without a strong resolve, you're no different than me or Skull."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So I'm still weak..." Ren concluded as he pushed up his glasses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before Morgana could respond, the group heard voices coming from outside the room.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Did you catch the intruders?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, but I think they took the princess."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We must retrieve her at once!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Princess?" Ann repeated.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"She belongs to King Kamoshida," Pixie explained. "All girls are special to him, but he treasures the lovely princess the most." She flew up to Ann. "You know, you kind of look like her..."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, Ren instinctively held onto Ann's hand. "That's why I want you to stay close," he instructed, taking out his gun. "I can't imagine what the guards will do to you if you're captured."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Joker..." Ann muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let's move on," Ren instructed the team. "Pixie, you used to be on the guards side. Can you guide us to make sure we don't get caught?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course I can," Pixie answered. She flew over to the door. "Just follow me. I know a secret passageway through the castle."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">With Ren unable to change back into his thief attire, Morgana and Ryuji handled most of the fighting. But even without his Persona, Ren was able to fight from afar with his gun, all keeping a close eye on Ann. As for Pixie, she was true to her word and provided healing for the team in case someone was struck with a near-fatal blow. Luckily her magic proved to be quite useful with all the guards they encountered. It felt like they doubled since the last time they came.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When the group arrived at a safe room, Ryuji collapsed to the floor. "Aren't there even more Shadows here than before?" he asked between gasps of air. "Just gettin' this far's been a real pain in my ass!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's all because you guys provoked Kamoshida, you know," Morgana pointed out. "Still...he seems to be awfully on-guard..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Anyways, how're we supposed to steal that treasure thing?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't be so hasty," Morgana warned. "First, we'll need to secure an infiltration route."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A what?" Ryuji asked, confused.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A path to the treasure's location," Morgana clarified. "But honestly, I think we'll need a little more manpower in order to accomplish this."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can produce bolts of lightning from my wings," Pixie revealed. "Would that help?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not quite," Morgana admitted. "At the very least, one more Persona user would be nice. It's bad enough Joker's own issues are preventing his powers from remaining stable."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You don't have to keep reminding me..." Ren muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, you say you don't have your memories and all," Ryuji told Morgana. "But somehow you still know about this kinda stuff?" He looked over at Ren. "You think this thing's really got amnesia?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I believe in Mona," Ren answered, not giving it a second thought.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That made Morgana happy. "At least you're a step above that moron," he purred.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't call me a moron!" Ryuji shouted. "You sure talk big, but what if it turns out you're just some stray alley cat in the end?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That can't be!" Morgana insisted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Still, what would those intruders want with the princess?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It doesn't matter now. We must take her back to King Kamoshida!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Curious, Morgana cracked open the door and peaked out. A few seconds later, he closed the door shut. "This is bad!" he panicked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's wrong?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There are too many guards!" Morgana warned. "If we leave the safe room, we'll get ambushed!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What should we do, Joker?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The same strategy as before," Ren decided, clutching onto his gun. "We can't let Takamaki get captured no matter what."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you say so..." Morgana muttered. Despite his words, he didn't sound so sure of the plan...</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It all happened so fast.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As soon as the team left the safe room, they were instantly ambushed by Shadows. Yet despite Pixie's healing magic, they were instantly overpowered. Worse, Ren was completely defenseless. Neither his sword nor gun could defeat them. He had to summon Arsene, but how? Despite crying out the winged Persona's name, his thief attire didn't return. As a result, he was quickly overpowered and knocked unconscious.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, Ren was able to regain consciousness, but he couldn't seem to open his eyes. He groaned as he heard a few familiar voices.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong>"So, the intruders brought someone new."</strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Kamoshida?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was able to regain enough strength to open his eyes. To his horror, he realized he, Ryuji, and Morgana were chained to the ground in some kind of secluded room, while Pixie was trapped in a bird cage. As for Ann, she was strapped to an X-shaped statue. But that wasn't even the worse part. The whole room was full of teenage girls dressed in revealing lingerie. But it wasn't just any ordinary teenage girls. In fact, Ren recognized some of their faces from the volleyball rally.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is effed up..." Ryuji muttered. "Is that what he thinks of the girls on the volleyball team?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"I can't believe you mistook my Ann for someone like her,"</b> Kamoshida told the guards. He chuckled as he slowly walked over to Ann. <b>"Are you afraid?"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let go of me!" Ann demanded as she struggled to break free.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"Why would I?"</b> Kamoshida asked in response. <b>"I do as a please here. After all, this is my castle, the world of my desires."</b> His gaze switched over to Pixie. <b>"But to think my trusted lieutenant would betray me. Did my kindness mean nothing to you?"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">"Go to hell!" Pixie spat out.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ignoring the threat, Kamoshida looked back at Ann. <b>"What a lively slave,"</b> he commented with a deep chuckle.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This isn't funny!" Ann shouted. "Enough of the bullshit, Kamoshida!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kamoshida looked over at the Ann doppelgänger. <b>"The girl still won't cooperate,"</b> he said. <b>"What do you think of that?"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">"Talking back is, like...totally unforgivable..." the false princess cooed.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"In that case, she should be executed,"</b> Kamoshida decided. <b>"As for the others, please give the freak some special rehabilitation."</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ren felt the shackles on his ankles vanish. He stood back up, but before he could do anything, Princess Ann grabbed his wrists and pinned him to the wall. With her body pressed against his, he felt powerless. She was looking at him the same way Sano did last year, her eyes full of lust as she took off his glasses and tossed them to the side.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What a cutie pie..." Princess Ann gushed, her fingers caressing Ren's face. "Why hide those big, beautiful eyes of yours behind such totally disgusting glasses?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren could only hyperventilate as Princess Ann forced a kiss onto him, all while she aggressively rubbed her hands on his clothed chest. He tried to push her off, but the trauma from his past made him feel powerless. He couldn't do anything as this blonde girl forced herself onto him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Get offa him!" Ryuji shouted as he struggled to break free.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"Why would you even befriend someone like him?"</b> Kamoshida asked Ryuji. <b>"Dōseiaisha freaks like him need to be corrected. Why deny the wondrous taste of a lovely woman?"</b> He looked back at Ann. <b>"Now then, how should I play with you? Shall I tear you into little pieces...just like that little friend of yours? It's your fault she jumped, you know."</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh...?" Ann gasped.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"You were so reluctant to throw yourself onto me that I had her take your place,"</b> Kamoshida continued.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You bastard!" Ann cried out as she tugged at the restraints.</span>
</p><p class="p2">The guards in the room drew out their swords and pointed them at Ann. <b>"But that was in the past,"</b> Kamoshida said. <b>"Just relax and enjoy your dismantlement show. Maybe I'll start with your clothes..."</b></p><p class="p2">"H-Hey, what're we gonna do?!" Ryuji asked Morgana, but the not-cat shook his head in response.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann could only hang her head in defeat. "Is this...my punishment for what happened to Shiho?" she asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"That's more like it,"</b> Kamoshida encouraged. <b>"You should've looked like this from the start."</b></p><p class="p1">"Shiho..." Ann gasped. "I'm so sorry!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ren was able to pull Princess Ann's mouth away from his. "Someone help me!" he panicked before she resumed kissing him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann looked up, seeing Ren struggle against her fake counterpart. She thought back to their conversation from yesterday, and how he confided in her about his past experience with rape. That panicked look in his eyes was different from the gaze he had when he told her he refused to let other people get raped as well. She even remembered his warning about not giving in to Kamoshida no matter what he says.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She had to return the favor.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're right, Joker," Ann said. "Letting this piece of shit toy with me... What was I thinking?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"It's like I always say,"</b> Kamoshida spoke up. <b>"Slaves should just behave and-"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">"Shut up!" Ann angrily interrupted. "I've had enough of this! You've pissed me off, you son of a bitch!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Just like with Ryuji, Ann felt a stabbing feeling in her forehead. She screamed out in pain as she tugged at the restraints. This went on for a while until Ann finally spoke up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hear you... Carmen..." Ann said. She looked up as a red mask appeared in her face. "You're right. No more holding back!" With strong tugs at her wrists, she was able to break free and she ripped off the mask with a pained scream.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With blue flames engulfing the room, a tall woman wearing a red dress appeared. As for Ann, she was now wearing a blood red spandex suit. With a whip in her hand, she knocked out a sword from a nearby guard and landed a sharp kick at her copy before slashing it into black dust. Ren gasped in relief as he looked over at Ann, a small smile appearing on his face.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Th-Thanks..." Ren stammered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann responded by picking up the discarded glasses. "Here," she said, giving them back to Ren. "I believe these are yours."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As soon as Ren put his glasses back on, his thief attire returned, mask and all. Ann then had her newfound Persona shoot fireballs at the chains that restrained Morgana and Ryuji, freeing them as well. The team was now fully assembled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You know what?" Ann asked Kamoshida. "I'm not some cheap girl you can toy with...you scumbag." She stabbed the sword into the ground.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Bitch...!"</strong> Kamoshida growled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You stole everything from Shiho..." Ann continued. "You destroyed her... Now it's your turn!</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I will rob you of everything!"</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Ann Joins the Party</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A new Persona awakening means a new person on the team.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed was an absolutely brutal beat down. Once the guard transformed into a horned devil sitting on a toilet, the four worked together to take him down. Luckily he seemed to be weak against fire attacks, so Ann kept on spamming her Persona to dish out one fireball after another. Eventually the Shadow was taken down, prompting Kamoshida to flee.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait...!" Ann cried out as she fell over.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren walked over to the cage that held Pixie and broke the lock with his knife, freeing her. With the healer freed, she flew over to Ann and casted a healing spell on her, but it didn't do much.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you all right, Lady Ann?" Morgana asked, voicing concern.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Lady Ann...?" the blonde girl repeated. "I..." But when she tried to get back up, her legs gave out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't push yourself," Morgana advised. "Everything's going to be okay. Don't worry."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Ann struggled to get back up, she finally realized what she was wearing. "Why am I dressed like this?!" she demanded, trying to cover herself up. "What's with this?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ever the modest gentleman, Ren took off his tailcoat and draped it over Ann's shoulders. "Here," he said. "This should help cover you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh... Thanks," Ann replied, hugging the coat closer to her body.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hate to ruin the mood, but a search party will be coming for us soon," Morgana pointed out. "We don't have a choice. Let's retreat for now!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">One app teleportation later, the team made it back to the real world...with the exception of Pixie. Realizing she was now wearing Ren's school blazer. Blushing slightly, she gave it back to him.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Looks like we made it back," Ryuji commented. "Hey, are you okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, pretty much..." Ann sheepishly answered. "But I'm still confused about all of this."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You maybe be safe for now, but a lot sure did happen back there," Morgana pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shouldn't we continue this in a more private space?" Ren suggested as he finished up buttoning up his blazer. "Who knows if the other students overhear us."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">The private space in question ended up being a relatively quiet karaoke bar. According to Ann, not a lot of people came during the day, so it was a perfect location to discuss their strategies in private. When they got there, Ryuji picked up some soda for Ann and Ren.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you feeling better, Lady Ann?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Um... Morgana, right?" Ann checked. She sighed. "I really am talking to a cat... This feels so strange..." She realized what she just said. "Oh, sorry! You're not a cat, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's only natural that you're confused," Morgana reassured. "Demanding that you understand all of this right after what you went through is asking too much."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Honestly, I still can't believe what happened..." Ann admitted. "And that power... My Persona..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's the will of your rebellion, Lady Ann," Morgana explained. "With it, you'll be able to fight in that other world."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So if what you told me is true, we can make Kamoshida have a change of heart, right?" Ann checked. "Is it really possible? Can we actually force him to confess his crimes?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That and more," Ren answered with a sly smirk.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The volleyball team's keepin' quiet about this, while teachers and parents turn a blind eye," Ryuji chimed in. "If guys like us try and complain, they're just gonna shoot us down. Goin' all in on this plan is the only choice we got."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then let me help too," Ann insisted. "I want to make him pay for what happened to Shiho. He just keeps going like nothing happened, even after what he did to her..." she tightly clenched her soda bottle. "I'll never forgive him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean, you want us to take you along?" Ryuji realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't act like I'm going to drag you down!" Ann shouted. "Weren't you watching? I can fight too."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji looked over at Ren. "Hey... What should we do?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't see any problem with her on the team," Ren decided. "Welcome aboard, Takamaki."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I agree as well," Morgana chimed in. "We are lacking in manpower, after all."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji sighed in defeat. "Fine..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then it's decided," Ann said. "I'm going to make Kamoshida atone for what he did. Not just for Shiho's sake...but for everything he's done. I won't let any more people suffer because of him. I'll do whatever it takes!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren smiled in response. He could sense a strong fighting resolve from her, knowing she was going to be an important part of the team.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just let me know when you're heading back in..." Ann continued. Then she realized something important. "Oh wait! We don't have each other's info. Hey, give me your number and chat ID."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The three teens took out their phones. But before Ren could give his number and chat ID to Ann, he noticed an unusual text on his phone.</span>
</p><p class="p3"><span class="s2">🦋</span>:<br/><span class="s1">About time you picked up your phone! I was waiting for you to respond!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was confused by the icon. Who was contacting him? And what was with the butterfly icon?</span>
</p><p class="p3"><span class="s2">🦋</span>:<br/> <span class="s1">Surprised? It's me, Pixie!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pixie...?" Ren muttered in surprise.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh yeah, she wasn't with us when we left the castle," Ryuji realized. "What happened to her?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren held up his phone. "I think she's in here," he answered.</span>
</p><p class="p3"><span class="s2">🦋</span>:<br/> <span class="s1">Hey guys.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pixie?!" Ann asked. "How did you get in there?"</span>
</p><p class="p3"><span class="s2">🦋</span>:<br/> <span class="s1">It's that weird app. As soon as you activated it, I got sucked in! I can only communicate with this messenger feature.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you're stuck in my phone?" Ren guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p3"><span class="s2">🦋</span>:<br/> <span class="s1">I think so. It's probably because you're in the real world. If you get back to Kamoshida's castle, I should be able to pop back out.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Kind of like what happened to me?" Morgana suspected, referring to his cat form.</span>
</p><p class="p3"><span class="s2">🦋</span>:<br/> <span class="s1">Probably. It's certainly a lot better than being stuck in an animal form.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana looked hurt by that comment. "It would be nice if I was in a phone..." he admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the whole Pixie thing discussed, the three teens went on with exchanging contact information. "I'll be counting on you," Ann told the others. "Same goes for you, Morgana."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Ann," Morgana purred.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Y'know, it's be better if this group could get together quick from now on," Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"True," Morgana agreed. "Our best option would be to make a secret hideout where we could discuss these things."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A hideout, huh?" Ryuji asked with a smirk. "I like the sound of that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We could make this karaoke bar our hideout," Ren suggested. "It's far from the school, so we don't have to worry about other students getting suspicious. And like Takamaki said, it's not crowded during the day."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You do have a good point, Ren," Morgana agreed. "For the time being, this will make the perfect hideout. I can't contact you from inside a Palace, so I'll stay in this world. That being said, I'll need someone to take care of me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll have to pass," Ann said. "I have a part-time modeling job, so it would be hard to keep track of a pet."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wouldn't mind," Ren admitted. "I'm on probation, so I could use the excuse of needing a pet for therapy reasons."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good call," Ryuji agreed. "There's no way I can look after him at my place."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Therapy Cat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren gets a new pet cat, who may or may not have a secret agenda of his own.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When Ren returned to LeBlanc later that night, Sojiro instructed him to stay upstairs while the cafe was open. While he did notice there was a woman dressed in dark clothing sitting at one of the booths, he kept quiet and headed for the attic. He set his bag on his bed to allow Morgana to get out, but when he did, the not-cat was somewhat disappointed with what he saw.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the... What is this place?!" Morgana exclaimed. "Is this some kind of abandoned house?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's the attic of a cafe," Ren sheepishly answered. "I'm not allowed to live at my guardian's house, so I'm stuck here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Morgana could respond, Sojiro walked in. "I was wondering why I heard meowing from up here," he said. "What did you bring it here for?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He's my therapy pet," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Therapy pet, huh?" Sojiro repeated. "Look, this place is a restaurant. Animals are a no-go..." He looked over at Morgana. "Though I guess you might stay on good behavior if you've got a pet to take care of..." He sighed in defeat. "Fine, but keep it quiet when we're open for business. And don't let it roam downstairs."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I won't, sir," Ren replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Sojiro went downstairs, Morgana looked curious. "Is that the ruler of this place?" he asked Ren.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sort of," Ren answered. "He was ordered to look after me during my probation."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He seemed pretty understanding for someone who keeps you cramped up in this dump," Morgana commented. "Then again, I suppose to normal people I just sound like a meowing cat."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Sojiro came back up with a plate of tuna. "Seriously..." he sighed, placing the plate next to Morgana. "It had to keep calling out in that cute little voice..." He looked over at Ren. "Make sure you wash that dish."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I will, sir," Ren replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"By the way...what's the cat's name?" Sojiro asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Morgana," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh... That's an unusual name for a cat," Sojiro commented. Then he went back downstairs.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Looks like the chief likes me better than you," Morgana purred. "And to be honest, this place is heaven compared to Kamoshida's cells."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Morgana snacked on the tuna, Ren sat next to him and took out his phone. He sighed as he looked at his phone's wallpaper. It was a photo of him and his parents from last year, before the probation. As much as he wanted to let them know what he's been up to, he knew it wouldn't be allowed. After all, the judge ordered him to not contact them for the year. His parents couldn't call him, either. But he remembered their last words to him when he left his hometown.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s1">"Make sure you focus on your studies. Just because you're on probation, it doesn't mean you can slack off."</span> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s1">"Please stay safe, sweetie. I heard Tokyo isn't very accepting either, so try to keep a low profile."</span> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are those your parents?" Morgana asked, looking up from his meal.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response. "They're kind of overbearing and protective, but they're still good parents," he said. Then he let out a sad sigh. "At least they still love me after that..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"With you being gay?" Morgana bluntly guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The only sound that was heard was a deep inhale coming from Ren. "Hey... Don't feel bad," Morgana reassured. "It's okay for you to love other guys."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">There was still no response from Ren, so the not-cat continued. "Remember how you guys asked me before about what I am?" he asked, changing topics. "To be honest... I don't remember anything about my birth."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But no one can remember their birth," Ren pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not what I meant, you wise guy!" Morgana shouted. "I think the Metaverse's distortions made me lose both my memories and my true form."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You said you're a human," Ren recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I have to be!" Morgana insisted. "I mean, why else would a cat be able to talk like this? There's no other possible explanation. There's no doubt that the distortions were what caused me to lose my real self. I'm sure that once they're purged, I'll finally be able to get that self back. And I have a pretty good idea on how to do it too. That's why I was in the castle in the first place."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So how do you feel now?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana looked back at the tuna. "Come to think of it, I didn't get hungry over in that world..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What happened next was an aura of comfortable silence. As Morgana ate the plate of tuna, Ren opted to sit next to the not-cat. He was actually okay with how things turned out. He always wanted a pet when he was younger, so now he finally got one...even though the pet in question kept insisting he wasn't a cat. This went on for a few minutes until Morgana finished up the tuna.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let me make myself clear," Morgana spoke up. "Your taking care of me won't be for nothing. It'll be give and take. Due to my knowledge and dexterous nature, I have a lot of intel on infiltration tools. In exchange for you keeping me here, I'll teach you about these tools..." He gave Ren a once-over. "...and give you some styling tips. How does that sound?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why would I need...'styling tips'?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because you look too much like a western nerd," Morgana bluntly answered. "Frizzy hair, bulky glasses, lanky posture... There's no way anyone would fine you attractive." He leaned close to Ren and sniffed him. "And when was the last time you bathed? You reek!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's only one bathroom at LeBlanc and it doesn't include a shower stall," Ren explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, you're definitely going to need my help," Morgana insisted. "You might lack charisma at the moment, but if you let me, I can turn you into a sexy stud."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you insist..." Ren sighed. "I'm more interested in these infiltration tools, though."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana chuckled. "Then it's a deal," he purred. "But don't you think I'll forget about helping you become stylish."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Ren wasn't sure about what Morgana had in mind for styling tips, he could tell the not-cat seemed rather happy. Who knows? Maybe things will eventually turn out well and he might miraculously start to make a recovery after all those years of putting up with rumors.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll lecture you about the infiltration tools over time," Morgana informed. "By the way, the power you used in the Palace was seriously amazing. If we run out of healing supplies, we can always ask Pixie to use her magic. But that won't be enough to pull off infiltrations. The stronger that power gets, the more reliable it'll be as a trump card. So to make sure your power doesn't act up, I'm gonna stick with you wherever you go from today on. Personas are the strength born from one's heart. As you keep meeting more people you can trust, I bet your experiences will affect that power as well. And if you become acquainted with these trustworthy people, not only will you learn various, useful skills, but you might feel comfortable about...you know..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren tensed up again. "C'mon, don't chicken out now!" Morgana insisted. "This is all part of our deal, got it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"S-Sure..." Ren stammered as he pushed up his glasses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana nuzzled up to Ren. "I expect great things from you," he encouraged. "Don't let me down, okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Ren heard his phone ringing. It was a text from Ann.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Thanks for everything today. You saved me, and I didn't even thank you properly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">With what happened at the Palace? I should be the one thanking you. You saved me from that cognitive version of yourself.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">That's not what I'm thanking you for. Before I got my Persona, I remembered what you said about not letting Kamoshida get his way. Your words encouraged me to break free. Anyway, I wanted to let you know at least.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Now we just have to keep going back to that Palace until we can stop Kamoshida. I want to avenge Suzui too, so I'm counting on you to help us out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Same here. See you tomorrow.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You guys send messages to each other with that thing, right?" Morgana asked. "I want in too, so I'm gonna have to ask you to type for me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure thing," Ren replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana looked around the attic. "At any rate... Is this really a place for someone to live?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry, I'll tidy this place up some more when I have the time," Ren reassured. "It will have to do for now."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Later that evening, Ren was fast asleep with Morgana sleeping next to him. Unfortunately, the not-cat quickly learned Ren is very verbal when he sleeps. It was kind of hard to sleep through loud groans and soft muttering due to what was possibly a bad dream.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">So while Ren was off in dreamland, Morgana took the opportunity to slip away to do some...nighttime strolling.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh man... It's getting worse than I thought."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I figured I could give him some encouragement, but it's still not enough."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"These distortions aren't normal at all!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So why-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p2">*gasps*</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that...really where it all began?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If that's really what caused the distortions to increase, I better keep a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't do something reckless."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Not Healing Good</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Before heading into Kamoshida's palace, the team needs to stock up on supplies.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, while walking towards the school Ren overheard a conversation between two girls.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's wrong? You don't look so good."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I haven't been feeling well lately. My head's all foggy and I have no energy. I've tried every drug at the pharmacy, but nothing works. Do I have some new virus? Is this the onset of a psychotic breakdown?! Wh-What should I do?! Am I going to die?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Calm down, calm down! Let's go to the clinic. Come on. I'm sure the doctor can prescribe something that'll fix you right up."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana stuck his head out of Ren's school bag. "Doctors have the best medicine, huh..." the not-cat commented. "While I was out on a nighttime stroll yesterday, I came across this shady-looking clinic."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you sick?" Ren asked, voicing concern.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wha- No!" Morgana shouted. "It might be nice to have some strong medicine to use in the Palace."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji walked up to the two. "Yo, mornin' RenRen," he greeted. "What're you doin' here?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Morgana mentioned a clinic," Ren recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What for?" Ryuji asked. "Is he sick?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not sick!" Morgana repeated. "I'll explain it at the hideout after school!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">That afternoon, Ren was paying attention in class when he heard his phone vibrate. It was a text from Ryuji.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Are we still meeting up at the hideout after school?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Don't text now. We're in class.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Whoa! You mean you're actually listening to all this crap?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pixie, you'll have to text for me," Ren whispered in a low, hushed voice.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Ren just told me to speak on his behalf. He's really focused on whatever the teacher is saying.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Really? None of it is really sticking today for me...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I know, right? Anyways, hideout after school?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">The karaoke bar, right? We'll have to choose an empty booth again like last time.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I know. Smart thinking choosing that as our hideout, Ren.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response with a soft smile.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">He's happy about the compliment.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, Amamiya!" Mr. Ushimaru shouted. "Pay attention! Is that how you listen when someone's talkin' to y-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"1890," Ren interrupted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Mr. Ushimaru was surprised to hear that. "What was that?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's when the National Diet was established," Ren clarified. "The day the members first met was on November 29th, nearly a year after the Meiji Constitution was adopted on February 11, 1889."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed was the sound of chalk falling to the floor. "So you are paying attention to the lesson," Mr. Ushimaru realized. "Make sure you keep it that way."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the lesson continued, Ren could hear hushed whispers from the students.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whoa... That was smooth of him to respond like that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Can you imagine what would have happened if he didn't answer the question?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That would have hurt."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Once classes were done for the day, the team met up at the karaoke bar. "Looks like we're all here," Ryuji said. "Mkay, let's get goin'!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My thoughts exactly," Ren agreed as he took out his phone. "Kamo-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hold on, it's still too early for us to head to the Palace," Morgana interrupted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But why?" Ryuji impatiently asked. "Don't we just gotta steal that treasure thing?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't underestimate the dangers of that place," Morgana warned. "We need to prepare."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ain't that Persona shit we got enough to deal with it?" Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's exactly what I mean when I say don't underestimate it," Morgana insisted. "You'll die if you mess up in there."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If that happens, we could ask Pixie to fix us up," Ren suggested. Then he heard his phone ring.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">My magic's not that strong! I'm just a healer, not a miracle worker! I can't revive you if you die!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So again, we need to prepare before we head in," Morgana reinforced.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But...how exactly are we supposed to do that?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm glad you asked, Lady Ann," Morgana replied. "First, we'll need to find better equipment for all of you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You talkin' about weapons?" Ryuji asked. "Oh, I know a kick-ass place!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In that case, you can handle that side of things," Morgana decided. "The only other thing would be stocking up on medicine. While running out of stamina won't affect your Persona, fatigue is unavoidable in a Palace."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're talking about that clinic you heard about," Ren recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Precisely!" Morgana happily confirmed. "Now then, Ren and I will head over to Yongen to find the clinic, so let's head off for today!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing Morgana probably wouldn't be able to go to the clinic by himself, Ren had no other choice but to find it. It took a while, but soon he was standing right outside a seemingly rundown building. It actually felt kind of shady...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is the same clinic I came across last night," Morgana confirmed. "Now, how can we get them to give us some medicine?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll have to tell the doctor the truth," Ren decided. "If we explain that we need the medicine to help us defeat a rapist, maybe-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You idiot!" Morgana growled. "How do you expect normal people to understand what a Palace is?! You'll have to make something up and hope the doctor believes you!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Upon setting foot in the clinic, Ren instantly recognized the woman behind the counter. It was the same goth woman who visited LeBlanc a few days ago. Was she a doctor?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is this your first visit?" the woman asked. She looked up from her papers. "Hm? I feel like I've seen you somewhere before..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I just moved here," Ren explained. "I saw you at LeBlanc."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, whatever..." the woman muttered. "So, what are you here for today?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I've been having nightmares," Ren answered, speaking a little too casually. "It started about a month ago and they keep getting worse every night. Do you have some kind of medicine to get rid of them?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Fine," the woman decided. "Please head to the exam room."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">In the exam room, Ren proceeded to explain what kind of nightmares he was experience. "Every night, keep dreaming about a girl from my past," he said. "She keeps taunting me about...certain things and calls me a freak. But just recently, I have been dreaming about a man I came across last month. I keep hearing his voice, but I could never get a clear look at his face. He's always shouting about sueing me and I keep seeing red and blue flashing li-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whoa there!" Morgana interrupted. "Calm down, Ren! She's not a therapist!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Sorry," Ren apologized as he pushed up his glasses. "I've been through a lot lately..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It sounds like these nightmares of yours are due to stress," the woman commented. "I'm going to prescribe you some sleeping pills, okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Ren said with a relieved sigh. "I appreciate it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The woman took out a clipboard and pen. "Which type of pill do you want?" she asked. "A sweet-tasting one or a bitter one?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sweet-tasting," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ren, what are you doing?" Morgana hissed. "You're supposed to ask for medicine, not sleeping pills! Tell her you want painkillers!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Can you give me a year-long supply?" Ren asked, completely ignoring Morgana. "I'm only in Tokyo for a year, so I need to make sure these sleeping pills last."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But instead of complying, the woman glared at Ren. "I'm not as dumb as I look, you know," she stated. "I'm guessing you're here because you heard the rumors about me, huh?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But some sleeping pills would be nice..." Ren innocently admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not buying it," the woman coldly dismissed. "You're one of those patients with an ulterior motive." She frowned slightly. "What's the world coming to?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You have to believe me," Ren insisted. "Things are a bit complicated right now, but I think having some sleeping pills could help me out."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The woman stared at Ren for a few seconds before sighing. "I guess high school kids have it tough nowadays too," she realized. "Well, fine. I'll prescribe you some sleeping pills." She took out a small bottle full of pills. "Make sure you take one each night before you go to bed."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Really?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's fine," the woman continued. "You seem pretty earnest, and you don't look like you'll be any trouble." She gave the bottle to Ren. "But remember, it's your responsibility to take care of yourself. So if that's okay with you, stop by anytime for a refill."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Ren happily replied. "That'll really help."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Great," the woman said. "It's nice that you're so quick on the uptake. Saves me the hassle."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But while Ren was happy to receive a prescription for sleeping pills, Morgana had the opposite reaction. "Great..." she grumbled. "Guess that means Pixie really is stuck on healing duty..."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And no, Ren isn’t faking it. He really does need sleeping pills.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Special Weapons</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With the trip to the clinic a sort-of bust, Ren and Ryuji decide to stock up on weapons.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Ren was about to leave the clinic, he overheard a conversation between the doctor and a suited man. From what he heard, the man was accusing her of selling a special kind of medicine. During the argument, Ren found out what the name of the doctor is: Tae Takemi. But Morgana was more interested in the special medicine.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sounded like they were talking about something dangerous," the not-cat commented. "Could that woman be hiding some extra-strong medicine?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It seems sketchy, though," Ren disagreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But if it's strong, it might come in handy at the Palace," Morgana insisted. "And it could save Pixie some trouble for healing us all the time. We should come back when that man isn't here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Ren heard his phone ring. It was a text from Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So you know that store I mentioned, with the model guns?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What about it?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It's in Shibuya. I can go with you if you want.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Can't you do it alone? You seem to know this place better than me.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Come on, you need to know where it is too!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Tee-hee! Looks like you don't have much of a choice!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren groaned in frustration. "You don't have to rub it in..." he grumbled.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I heard that!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Welp, let's figure out where to meet. You at least know how to get to Shibuya Station, yeah?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I use it all the time to get to school.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hey, I can't make it. Can I trust you guys to check the place out for me?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You can't come?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Not tomorrow. I made plans to go see Shiho in the hospital.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Ah, gotcha. Don't worry, we got this. Well, seeya in Shibuya, RenRen! I'll be in front of the station!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We might be able to get our hands on some decent stuff if this store really has model guns," Morgana commented. "Well, we can leave that tomorrow."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">The next day, Ren met up with Ryuji outside of Shibuya Station. "Looks like you made it," Ryuji said. "The shop's on Central Street, so we gotta go through the Crossing to get there."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What crossing?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's what we call the Shibuya Crossing," Ryuji clarified. "It's this huge intersection with people crossin' the street from every direction. Once we get passed that, we'll pretty much be at Central Street."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Seems easy enough," Ren commented. "Lead the way, Ryuji."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But as the two headed over to Central Street, a particular man caught Ren's attention. He was standing on a soapbox in front of a green model train car. Intrigued, he decided to stop and listen to what the man had to say.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Everyone, wake up!" the man exclaimed. "This country is twisted! While Japanese society may appear to be thriving, many young people have not been as blessed as their elders. They have no jobs, no savings, no financial security whatsoever... These young people should be tackling their futures head-on, but instead, they're too busy merely trying to survive."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Eh, people give speeches all the time," Ryuji dismissed. "Plus, politics are pretty boring, anyways."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't think they're boring," Ren disagreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">This reveal surprised Ryuji. "You serious?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Before the probation, I was studying to become a politician," Ren revealed. "There are too many people with their own selfish agendas, so if they aren't going to help improve Japan, I figured I should do it myself."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's why Pixie was talkin' for you during class," Ryuji realized.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When the two arrived at Central Street, Ryuji brought Ren over to an alleyway that wasn't visible to the public eye. In that alleyway, there was a shady-looking shop with a neon green sign that read 'Untouchable'. The name of the shop seemed to imply something else...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is it," Ryuji said. "Pretty legit, huh?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This place looks sketchy," Ren blurted out.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Right?" Ryuji agreed. "To be honest, it'd be a bit scary to go in alone. Anyways, let's check out what's inside." He realized something. "Oh yeah, before we head in... You know anything about guns and shit?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess we can just ask the guy behind the counter if we can't figure out what we want," Ryuji admitted. "C'mon, let's do this."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Ren's suspicions were correct. The shop was equally-shady on the inside. It was cramped with various weapons and armor, half of which he didn't know what they were. There was only one person inside, a surly-looking man behind the counter. One could assume that was the shop manager.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You know what you want yet?" the surly manager asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren froze up, intimidated by the older man's glare. "Well, I..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're here to get some guns," Ryuji chimed in, much to Ren's relief. "You got any recommendations?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just buy whatever looks interestin' to you," the surly manager responded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Some customer service..." Ryuji complained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The surly manager sighed in frustration. "Fine, whaddya want?" he asked. "An automatic? A revolver?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That only confused Ryuji. "Automatic...?" he repeated. "Dude, why're you talkin' about cars now?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Listen, this here's an enthusiast shop," the surly manager informed. "My regulars'll be mad if I let a casual like you hang around."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not a freakin' casual!" Ryuji shouted. "I bought shit from here like, last week!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh? Can't remember you," the surly manager dismissed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You bastard..." Ryuji groaned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And you?" the surly manager asked Ren. "Lookin' for somethin'?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... J-Just a...model gun..." Ren stammered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh... You guys plannin' a nice big bank robbery or somethin'?" the surly manager assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Th-That ain't it!" Ryuji nervously corrected. "We just like how they look, is all!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Anyways...you shoulda said before you two're enthusiasts," the surly manager continued. "I'm always up for helpin' fresh faces. Some precautions first though. Don't go 'round pointing 'em at other people. Keep 'em in a bag or somethin' if you're outside. Oh, and don't let the fuzz catch wind of you having 'em. I don't need them comin' around here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hate cops..." Ren nervously blurted out. He could still feel the handcuffs...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now, if you look close, you'll be able to tell these're models," the surly manager continued. "Real guns feel...different. Maybe someday I'll show you the real good stuff though...if you got the guts for it, of course." He stood up. "But for now, you got the beginner selection. Just sit tight, I'll bring 'em out."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While the surly manager was getting stuff from the back, Ryuji couldn't contain his excitement. "We did it, dude!" he cheered. "We totally gotta go for some fancy shit, right? I want 'em to shine!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hope they're just fakes," Ren nervously replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, the surly manager brought out a few model guns. While Ren wasn't sure what to pick out, Ryuji quickly decided on a silver shotgun. Eventually Ren settled for a small pistol. He wasn't sure how effective it would be in the Palace, but it looked like it packed a punch. All that was left was getting weapons for the rest of the team. But because Morgana already had his slingshot, they decided get a lightweight tommy gun for Ann.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh yeah. There's somethin' you should know," the surly manager said as he finished up the transaction. "I don't buy off any model guns from other people, so keep that in mind. I don't wanna deal with any problems buyin' somethin' that's already been modified. And that's all I gotta say."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Ryuji was more than happy with his new loot, Ren decided to let him handle the weapon-purchasing for the team. He clearly wasn't fit for hanging out at this type of shady establishment...</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. New Routines</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren discovers there are things he can do in LeBlanc.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When Ren returned to LeBlanc later that night, he overheard a coversation between Sojiro and a customer. "Boss, did you hear?" the customer asked. "Apparently that subway driver from the accident was acting really odd during his testimony hearing."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You talking about that psychotic whatever thing people're going on about?" Sojiro checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, I heard it completely alters your personality," the customer confirmed. "The news is saying the driver couldn't even speak when they tried asking him questions."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Only an idiot'd believe a preposterous story like that," Sojiro dismissed. "Oh, and sorry, but we're closing."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How rude," the customer scoffed. "This must be why you don't get many customers. Your coffee's actually not half bad. The beans must be lamenting the sorry state of this store."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks for stopping in," Sojiro said. "Please come again."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm only trying to help you fix your business," the customer claimed. "Thanks for the coffee, at least."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After the customer left, Sojiro let out a frustrated sigh. "Sheesh, what a pain..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Just by looking at the shop owner, Ren could tell Sojiro probably had a pretty hectic day. Taking note on the pile of dishes and mugs in the sink, he went behind the counter and started cleaning them. As he did so, he decided to make some small talk.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How's business?" Ren casually asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Doesn't concern you," Sojiro responded. "It's all good as long as the shop doesn't fall. I'm not gonna go wearing a fake smile."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">An idea popped into Ren's head. "What if I start helping out here?" he offered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That surprised Sojiro. "You serious?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I know how to cook meals," Ren explained. "Maybe I can use some of my skills to help out your business."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll think about it," Sojiro decided. "But for now, as long as I'm here, the world leaves me be. No annoyances or troublesome people to deal with. It's like my own personal hideaway."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sounds lonely," Ren commented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'd be kinda screwed if I lost it, but I guess you would be too," Sojiro continued. "So you better at least try and be useful around here."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, sir," Ren replied.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">A while later, after Ren finished washing the dishes and mugs, he had just returned to the attic when he received a text from Ann.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">So, I went to see Shiho in the hospital...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">How was she? Is she feeling any better?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Her condition is stable. They don't know when she'll regain consciousness though.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren gritted his teeth, angry at Kamoshida for causing this.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Don't worry. We'll avenge Suzui.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Yeah. She'll get better. I know it. I just need to believe in her.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Not just that. Kamoshida will pay for hurting her!</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I'll never forgive him, either. You're right. He's going to pay for what he did, no matter what.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're just about ready to go to the Palace," Morgana reported. "We just need to assemble some infiltration tools. Clean off that desk back there so we can use it."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, the desk was no longer cluttered. "Great, now you can make things whenever you want," Morgana continued.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren sat at the desk, prompting Morgana to follow suit and sit on it. "So what kind of infiltration tools did you have in mind?" the dark-haired teen asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A lockpick," Morgana answered. "I'll provide the materials for you." He took out some silk yarn and a tin clasp. "Don't think too hard about it. You'll get the hang of it."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren looked at the two items. "You expect me to make a lockpick with just this?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Everyone starts off a little clumsy," Morgana advised. "Don't be sad if it doesn't go well at first, okay?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Eventually Ren was able to craft a lockpick out of the two items. "Great!" Morgana encouraged. "We should be able to use this."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is there anything else I need to do?" Ren checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not at the moment," Morgana answered. "We should be ready now. We're heading into the Palace tomorrow. Let's get some sleep."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next morning, Ren woke up to the soft pitter-patter feeling of cat paws on his stomach. Feeling groggier than usual, he checked the time on his phone...only to realize it was still 5am.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty!" Morgana greeted.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why did you wake me up this early?" Ren asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Starting today, I want you to do some morning training," Morgana instructed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Training?" Ren sleepily echoed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yep!" Morgana replied as he hopped off the bed. "As part of helping you become stylish, I want you to do fifty pull-ups each morning."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How is that relevant?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"To help give you some muscle," Morgana continued. "There's no way you can infiltrate a Palace with that body, so I want you to bulk up. Now without futher ado, let's begin your training!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Using a support beam on the ceiling, Ren proceeded to do pull-ups. But because he wasn't use to a lot of physical activity, he was doing so very slowly. He could feel his body strain with each pull-up, but he continued, mentally counting how many he did.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right, you can do this!" Morgana cheered. "Clear your mind and focus on your center! Don't give up! Push past your limit!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet as soon as Ren reached fifty, he instantly released his grip on the support beam and collapsed. It was exhausting and he had a hard time getting back on his feet. Luckily for him, Morgana quickly took note on his drained state.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, are you all right?" the not-cat asked. "You haven't build up much muscle, so don't push yourself. But not to worry. As long as you keep doing this each morning, you'll be bulked up in no time."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>While this is a fic mostly based on combined elements from the Royal video game and the anime adaptation, I also plan on including a few things from the Mementos Mission manga.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Redheaded Beauty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren gets a proper introduction to a familiar face from a few days ago.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, when Ren got to school, he noticed Kamoshida was near the entrance, greeting the students. He was so angry at him that he walked past him without another word. He could hear Kamoshida calling out to him, but he ignored him. After all, today was the day they work on infiltrating the Palace. He couldn't wait to steal that treasure of his.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Aside from that, things were perfectly fine at school. Aside from hearing the usual hushed talk regarding his current school status, class was perfectly fine. That is, until a certain something happened.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, that wraps up the homeroom period," Ms. Kawakami said. "Amamiya-kun. A word with you, please?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure..." Ren replied, suddenly feeling nervous. Why she was want to speak with him?</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">Ms. Kawakami brought Ren out into the hallway. "There's something I'd like to ask you," she began. "It won't take long."</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, a door opened up and three people left the guidance office: Kamoshida, the school's vice principal, and...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Her.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The redheaded girl from the subway.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see you're already getting on top of the problems I'd mention this morning, Ms. Kawakami," Kamoshida commented. "I appreciate the support."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you again," the redhead girl spoke up, speaking directly to Ren.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, you know this guy, Yoshizawa?" Kamoshida asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The redhead girl, apparently named Yoshizawa, nodded in response. "Yes, he lent me a helping hand earlier."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How cute," Kamoshida responded. "It seems he has already taken a liking to you. Guess he's not weird after all."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren froze up upon hearing those words. The way Kamoshida spoke... It sounded very similar to how his Shadow talked at the Palace.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <b> <em>"Dōseiaisha freaks like him need to be corrected. Why deny the wondrous taste of a lovely woman?"</em> </b> </span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There are a number of students in this school you shouldn't get involved with," Kamoshida continued. "But you're an honor student. Maybe hanging out with someone like you could do him some good."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yoshizawa looked at Ren in surprise. "You're the delinquent transfer student," she realized.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry to interrupt, but I need to use the guidance office," Ms. Kawakami spoke up.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, pardon me," Kamoshida said. He looked over at Yoshizawa. "We should be going too. You can always meet up with transfer student later."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">As the group of three left, Ren noticed Yoshizawa was staring at him. "Can I help you?" he asked.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry..." Yoshizawa apologized. "You kind of remind me of someone I know."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">In the guidance office, Ms. Kawakami went straight to the point. "Did something happen between you and Mr. Kamoshida?" she asked.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not at all," Ren answered. "Why do you ask?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well there was that little exchange just now, but that's not all," Ms. Kawakami answered. "He gave me a brief lecture this morning and your name came up. Something about getting punched in the nose a few days ago..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was shocked to hear that. <em>"So he told Ms. Kawakami about the punch..."</em> he thought to himself.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ms. Kawakami sighed. "I don't mean to pry, but...just make sure you don't go causing trouble."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I won't," Ren replied.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, and one more thing," Ms. Kawakami continued. "That girl outside the office... You didn't make a pass at her, did you?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, I did not," Ren answered without hesitation. Why was she staring at him?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh-huh..." Ms. Kawakami muttered. "Mr. Kamoshida has a real close eye on you. Apparently you've been getting involved with Sakamoto-kun. You seem acquainted with Yoshizawa-san as well. Maybe you're just naturally drawn to athletes?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It feels more like the other way around..." Ren corrected.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Sorry, bad joke," Ms. Kawakami apologized. "That's all I wanted to discuss. You're free to go."</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p2">Later that day, Ren received a text from Ryuji. Since he was more focused on the lesson, he let Pixie speak in his place as usual.</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So I saw Kamoshida at the school gate this morning. He was just standing there looking at me with shit-eating grin on his face.</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren let out an annoyed huff.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, Ren was too angry at the guy to actually notice that grin. I could hear him breathing louder than usual.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hear?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hello?! I'm stuck inside Ren's phone as long as he's the real world! I can't see anything unless it's out in the open!</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">How are you able to see us?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Dunno. I guess I can only see through these weird circle-thingies.</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Letting out a frustrated sigh, Ren broke away from class for a split second to correct the semi-Shadow.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It's the camera feature.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So that's what those circles are for!</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Back to what I was saying, seeing that smug look on Kamoshida's face got me even more fired up about this. We're definitely gonna pull this off.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, well that makes two of you. Ren is practically obsessed with stealing that treasure.</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not obsessed..." Ren corrected in a hushed voice.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Says the guy who keeps talking about wanting to avenge that Shiho Suzui girl.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm also worried about Shiho, but I want to concentrate on our operation too. And I won't let myself get exhausted like last time.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">The board meeting's May 2nd, right? We just gotta take care of him before then.</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You can count on Mr. Obsessed to help you out!</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Glad to have your support, RenRen.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Same here. I'll do my best. No going in without me, okay?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, you better let us know if you're going into the Palace.</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the text chat over, Ren put away his phone and resumed focusing on the class. But as for Morgana, he looked up at the dark-haired teen in concern. Was Pixie right about him being obsessed with stopping Kamoshida? And if so, why?</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Health Checkups</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Because in the real world, you can do multiple things at once during the day.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When school was done for the day, Morgana insisted on heading over to the Palace right away. But instead, Ren thought back to that health clinic from two days ago. While he was unable to convince Takemi to give him medicine, he realized she could still be of good use to him...but not in the way Morgana expects.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet on the way over to the clinic, Ren came across the same politician from yesterday. "You there!" he exclaimed. "May I have a word with you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ren happily answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm scheduled to give a speech here tonight," the politician explained. "If you're interested, I'd love for you to come. I want young people like yourself to hear it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before Ren could answer, Morgana jumped in on the conversation. "I get that you're interested in politics, but it won't be possible to hear his speech," the not-cat pointed out. "It's at night, so we won't be able to attend without the chief's permission."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry, not tonight," Ren told the politician. "But maybe I can some other time. I'm interested in becoming a politician myself and I would like to hear some feedback from a professional."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How remarkable," the politician complimented. "A fresh face in the world of politics. I look forward to seeing you again."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">After that slight delay, Ren was able to return to the clinic, much to Morgana's confusion. "Why'd you come back here?" the not-cat asked. "Is it about that special medicine?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not quite," Ren replied as he entered the clinic.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Takemi saw Ren walk in. "What are you here for today?" she asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I would like to schedule a checkup," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh...?" Takemi asked. She looked closely at Ren. "Now I remember. You're the kid who was at LeBlanc. How are those sleeping pills?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was able to sleep well, so thanks," Ren replied, speaking the truth. "But right now, I want to start seeing you regularly."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Very well," Takemi said. "Please come with me to the examination room."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">In the examination room, Takemi started asking questions. "So you want to start seeing me for frequent checkups," she recapped. She looked at Ren suspiciously. "Are you sure this isn't about my special medicine?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course not," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then why would a high schooler like yourself be so interested in checkups?" Takemi questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I recently decided start working out," Ren explained. "But right now, it feels like I haven't made any progress."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can tell," Takemi replied. "You don't seem to be very athletic."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's why I want to schedule checkups," Ren continued. "I need someone to help monitor my progress."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hm, that's not a bad idea," Takemi complimented. "Very well. I'll help you out, but it won't be free."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you mean by that?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll explain more once your stamina improves," Takemi replied. "For now, I need go over the basics."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed was a pretty standard checkup. Takemi proceeded to take notes on Ren's blood pressure, heartbeat, weight, and height. Yet while this was going on, the dark-haired teen couldn't help but think about what this doctor had in mind for payment. Hopefully she would explain the details once his physical health improves.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wow... These results say you're in good health," Takemi commented once the checkup was done. "Not bad, for a high schooler. The only problem is your lack of muscle, but you should be able to fix that if you workout regularly."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So I can keep coming back here?" Ren checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Takemi answered. "As long as you keep up your workout routine, you'll be allowed to come here whenever you want. I'll even give you refills if you run out of sleeping pills. I look forward to your continued patronage, mister..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Amamiya," the dark-haired teen said. "It's Ren Amamiya."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Amamiya," Takemi said. "So...when can you come back for your next checkup?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Probably in a few days," Ren answered. Hopefully they should finish dealing with Kamoshida by then.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Alright then," Takemi replied as she wrote something on a clipboard. "I look forward to seeing you then."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Ren left the clinic, he was about to send a message to Ryuji and Ann when someone else beat him to it.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hey, where are you right now?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I had to take care of some important things. I was just about to head over to the karaoke bar. Takamaki to meet us there as well.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So we're heading to the Palace right away?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yes. We can't wait any longer. We have to take down Kamoshida right away.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">My thoughts exactly. See you at the hideout!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Someone's eager to start infiltrating," Morgana commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course I am," Ren confirmed. "Spending time at the clinic didn't tire me out. I should have enough strength to go back to the Palace today."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When the three Shujin teens met up at the karaoke bar, Morgana began the team meeting. "I hope you all understand that our time limit is May 2nd," the not-cat informed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We basically just have to go to that castle and steal the treasure from Kamoshida, right?" Ann checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But wait, what even is a treasure?" Ryuji wondered. "I wanna know that before we do anything,"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A treasure is the physical form of the Palace ruler's distorted desires," Morgana explained. "In other words, it's the core of the Palace. Once we steal it, the Palace will crumble. But having said all that, even I don't know what Kamoshida's treasure is going to be."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And where can we find it?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's no way of knowing that until we go in and find out," Morgana admitted. "But if I had to guess, I'd say he has it locked up somewhere in the depths of the Palace."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took out his phone. "Well, Pixie?" he asked, holding it out so the others could see the text. "Is there something like that in the castle?"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I think so. Back when I was serving Kamoshida, I heard something about a secret room that not even the Shadows could visit. It's probably where this so-called treasure is.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nice thinking, Ren," Morgana complimented. "Pixie used to live in the castle. She can help take us to the treasure."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think Kamoshida mentioned something about you being a lieutenant," Ren recalled. "Maybe we can get in easier if you pretend you captured us."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sigh... I doubt it. Kamoshida knows I switched sides, remember? He probably told the other Shadows about my betrayal.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think we could still use your help," Ryuji pointed out. "We just gotta find the treasure, yeah?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pretty much," Morgana confirmed. "There's just a lot we won't know until we go in. In any case, our objective is to find the treasure's location somewhere in the Palace. Make sure we go about this with time to spare so we can avoid any unforeseen circumstances. I expect great things from you guys."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. A Bear Cries Out in Pain</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Pixie sure is special, huh? Can’t think of another Shadow who developed human emotions...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">One app teleportation later, the team was back outside the castle. Sure enough, as soon as they arrived, Pixie was flying out in the open. While Ren was relieved he was back in his thief attire, Ryuji was staring at Ann for a long period of time. Of course, the staring finally stopped once she commented on it.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hm? What's up?" Ann asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"N-Nothing," Ryuji stammered in response. "I-I was just thinkin' we should choose a codename for you too."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Like what you guys have?" Ann checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Judging by your costume, it should be cat-themed," Morgana suggested.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I mean, she's got that tail and stuff, so..." Ryuji agreed. He looked over at Ren. "Whadda you think, Joker?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think she's showing too much skin," Ren bluntly answered, politely looking away from Ann.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie giggled. "He meant with the codename, you goof!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily Ann was able to come up with a good nickname. "Maybe...Panther?" she suggested. "That sounds pretty cool, doesn't it?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh? Why?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"'Cause it sounds more ferocious than just a little cat," Ann answered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She's a cougar..." Morgana happily purred.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't call me that!" Ann shouted. "More importantly, Kamoshida!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Oh, right," Ryuji remembered. "Let's start fresh and get goin'!"</p>
<p class="p2">"It's game time from this point forward," Morgana advised. "I'll teach you guys the basics of infiltrating a Palace as we go."</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before the infiltration could begin, Ren suddenly sensed a looming presence behind him. Turning around, he saw a glowing blue prison door and a familiar face. Luckily the familiar face in question wasn't intimidating."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My master would like a word with you," Justine informed.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">As much as Ren didn't like being in the Velvet Room, he begrudgingly found himself back behind bars. "The prisoner Ren Amamiya has returned," Caroline reported.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well done," Igor spoke. "It seems you have remembered my words. You truly make it worth rehabilitating you."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So why did you call me here?" Ren asked. "I still can't summon my Persona properly."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It is because of what you did during your last visit in the Metaverse," Igor explained. "Though you cannot obtain other Personas, you befriended a Shadow through a different manner."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean Pixie?" Ren checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That is correct," Igor confirmed. "There has been no record of a Persona user befriending a stray Shadow like this. It is very surprising considering your statusas the world's weakest Wild Card."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She wanted to help me some other way," Ren recalled. "She was the one who offered to heal my team."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So those were its desires..." Igor commented. "This truly is surprising. Normally Shadows cannot obtain a sense of self, yet this one did. It seems this particular Shadow is the first of a rare occurrence. This might be useful on your path to rehabilitation."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You keep mentioning that word," Ren pointed out. "What's that mean?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Igor chuckled. "I am not attempting to withhold information from you," he answered. "The essence of the rehabilitation that you must complete will be explained in due time. Once you encounter allies who share your ideals and discover your place in reality... Only then, will I explain it all. Such a day should not be far off. But until then, please continue to get stronger. After all, you cannot win with just the one Persona you have now."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You don't have to tell me twice," Ren replied.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But fear not," Igor continued. "You heart is steadily gaining the strength of rebellion. It seems your rehabilitation is proceeding smoothly, a joyous fact, indeed. In anticipation of this, I have prepared a gift for you. I hope that you shall accept it."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When Igor snapped his fingers, Ren felt a slight dizziness in his head. It went away after a split second, but nothing happened. "What did you do?" he asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I have enhanced your eyesight with the power of Third Eye," Igor explained. "That is a thief's skill, allowing one to tap into their sixth sense and see what is hidden in the dark. I believe you can handle it now. May you continue devoting yourself to further rehabilitation."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">With the Velvet Room meeting over, Ren gladly left and returned to the Palace. But as soon as he left the glowing blue door, he saw his team looking at him funny. Were they waiting for him the whole time?</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Something wrong?" Morgana asked. "You were just standing around all of a sudden."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You didn't see me enter that door?" Ren asked, gesturing to the door behind him.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What door?" Ann asked in response.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realization dawned on Ren. Given by the way Morgana and Ann were talking, it sounded like he wasn't moving during his time in the Velvet Room and only he could see the room's door. Was this a special area only he could see?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why're you spacin' out like that?" Ryuji asked. "It's kinda hard to tell what you're thinkin' sometimes."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let's just say he's a man of high caliber," Morgana assumed. "We're counting on you, Joker!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Velvet Room-related delay aside, it was time to begin the infiltration. "So, where do we start?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let's head to the safe room we found last time," Morgana decided. "It's the first floor of the west building. That's pretty close to our usual entrance. It should be a pretty decent starting point."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The safe room was that distorted-looking area, right?" Ann checked, recalling her first time in the Palace. "The one that looked like a classroom?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pretty much," Ren confirmed. "It's the only place where Shadows can't bother us, so we can discuss our plans safely."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So, the place is for resting up and plotting..." Ann recapped. "Got it."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah, right," Morgana spoke up. "The safe room discussion reminds me... I picked up a few stamina kits. You can only use them in safe places, but when you do, it'll take care of all the exhaustion from our past fights." He gave the kits to Pixie. "Since you're our team healer, I'll let you decide when to use them. Just make sure the time's right."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No problem," Pixie replied as she accepted the kits. "My magic can only heal your injuries, so these should come in handy."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm glad to see you're into this, Pixie," Ren complimented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well we do have a deal," Pixie recalled. "I won't let my new friends down!" Yet despite those words, she looked a bit sad.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you feeling alright?" Ann asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...What?" Pixie muttered. "I-I'm fine! Let’s just get to the safe room!"</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Meanwhile, somewhere in a department store, a guy in a teddy-bear mascot suit let out an unexpected cry in pain. It sounded like someone somewhere was ignoring his existence...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Self-Esteem Shyness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Just because Joker is the team leader/player character/protagonist, doesn’t mean he should be the only one who gets to do all the cool stuff.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After stopping by the safe room, the team began their infiltration. While Ren made the right call to let Pixie take the lead, it also made her somewhat of a target. As they walked through the castle, the guards were quick to attack her. But because she was just a Shadow who only had healing magic and weak electrical powers, Ren had to protect her, especially from ice attacks. Yet while he fended off enemy Shadows with just his gun, Morgana, Ryuji, and Ann had to deal with the stronger threats with their respected Personas.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Along the way, Morgana taught the team about baton passes. This battle tactic was about signaling to a fellow teammate about when they can attack. Once they hit an enemy's weakness, they could pass their turn down to someone else, allowing them to deal out extra damage in the process. But in order to pull this off successfully, they required strong teamwork and trust in one another. Luckily during this first attempt, they were able to pass turns to each other without fail.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But things didn't take a turn for the worse until another encounter with a stray guard.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Damn..." Ryuji grumbled. "There's one here too..." He sighed as he cracked his knuckles. "Oh well... Guess we just gotta ambush it from behind again..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well sure, if you want to go about it the orthodox way," Morgana spoke up. "But there's a more stylish route!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's eyes widened. "...Stylish?" he asked, a flicker of blue flames swirling around him.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Calm down, Joker!" Morgana panicked. "I know you're lacking confidence, but hear me out!" He pointed at a nearby sofa. "See those sofas on the sides of the hallway? Hide behind those so you can get closer to the enemy. Once it's in range, jump on it and rip its mask off!"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whoa... That does sound pretty damn cool..." Ryuji complimented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey! This isn't a movie!" Ann pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Joker, with your poise, you should be able to pull it off," Morgana suggested. "Give it a try!"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Taking a deep breath, Ren ducked behind a sofa. Grasping onto his knife, he tried to calm himself down by taking deep breaths, but that didn't seem to do the trick as he could hear the guard's footsteps get louder. Eventually he could hear the guard walk up to him, so all he had to do was jump up dramatically and yank the guard's mask off to reveal the Shadows-</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...Or just frantically run up to the guard and slash wildly until the Shadows materialized.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">One standard Shadow battle later, the team was taking a breather while Pixie used her healing magic on them. "Sweet!" Ryuji cheered. "That totally works!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That was so cool!" Ann agreed. "They totally can't spot us while we're hiding!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But it would have been cooler if someone didn't charge in like that..." Morgana grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie giggled in response. "I thought it was kind of cute."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Phantom thieves aren't supposed to be cute!" Morgana disagreed. "They're cool and stylish!" He let out a frustrated sigh. "But yeah, that's how sneak attacks work. As long as we lay low like that, enemies won't even notice us. Whenever we hide, we can take our time preparing for the next ambush. But next time, I'll demonstrate the right way to ambush."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That didn't take very long, because as soon as the walked around the corner, there was another stray guard. Morgana quickly ducked behind a sofa. As soon as the guard was close enough, he leaped up and tackled the guard.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll cut you up!" the not-cat cried out as he ripped off the guard's mask, causing a few Shadows to materialize.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The battle was just as quick as ever, but this time, Morgana looked pleased. "See?" he asked. "That's how you properly ambush."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I panicked, okay?" Ren blurted out, knowing the not-cat was clearly referring to his own botched attempt.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie flew up to Ren's face and looked at him. "Hmm... You seemed to panic when Mona mentioned being stylish," she recalled. "Are you shy?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Ren didn't say anything, the growing blush on his face said it all. "You are!" Pixie gushed. "That's so cute!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-It's not that!" Ren denied, taking a few steps back. "I don't feel comfortable with being 'stylish'!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But why?" Pixie innocently asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Um... Stuff happened," Ren nervously answered. "Can we just focus on the infiltration?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana sighed as he walked on ahead. "You better show some progress once I start giving you styling tips..." he grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">Yet as the team continued the infiltration, Ann looked over at Ren. Maybe she could help him out once the whole thing with Kamoshida is dealt with...</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p2">For a while, not much happened. While they did come across half of the Palace's map after solving a particular puzzle involving ram-shaped pulleys, it was somewhat unnecessary due to Pixie knowing her way around the castle. But according to Morgana, it was still kind of important, so they held on to it.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Aside from obtaining that partial map, the team mostly fought Shadows. Morgana, Ryuji, and Ann took turns handling the ambushes and switched between fighting Shadows directly or using their Personas. Ren, on the other hand, still kept bleeding every time he tried to get Arsene in on the action, so he stuck with using his knife and gun. And of course, if the group finished off a rather tough opponent, Pixie was there to provide healing.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After solving yet another pulley puzzle (with Ren's third eye ability proving to be very useful), the team came across a tower with severely-damaged steps. "Man..." Morgana sighed. "Looks like it's in pretty bad shape..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uhh... I don't think we're goin' any further this way..." Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Should we check somewhere else?" Ann suggested.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait," Morgana said. "Look up there."He pointed at a golden ram bust above them.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What about it?" Ryuji asked. "Are we throwin' a rope over that and climbin' it?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Phantom thieves do things a bit more stylishly than that..." Morgana corrected. He quickly noticed Ren's nervous expression and smacked his leg before continuing. "...and I know just what'll do the trick. Everyone, hold out you fist."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Despite a little confusion, Ren, Ryuji, and Ann held out their non-dominate hands towards Morgana. The not-cat then proceeded to strap something to each of their wrists. "Good," he said, strapping something similar to his own wrist. "Seems like they fit properly."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren looked at his wrist. "What'd you strap onto us?" he wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's just a little something I've been working on in secret," Morgana answered. "The grappling hook lets you zip to hard-to-reach locations in a flash. You'll see what I'm talking about when you test it out. Go ahead, give it a try."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Nodding in response, Ren slowly reached his left hand out to the bust and-</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ZOOOOOOM!</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whoa!" Ryuji exclaimed. "What was that?! Joker was all like, sh-shyaaah!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wow, you really can do anything here if you think you can hard enough..." Ann commented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana chuckled. "You actually did it!" he called out to Ren. "I knew you could!" He raised his paw up. "Now we just need to meet you up there!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But when the other three used their grappling hooks (with Pixie catching up with her wings), they saw Ren was bent over, clutching his stomach. "That was too fast..." he groaned. "Does anyone have a bucket?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Crap, this isn't good..." Morgana muttered. He proceeded to take out was looked like a incense jar and held it up to Ren. "This incense should help clear up the nausea."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sure enough, as soon as Ren breathed in the incense, he suddenly felt better. "What is that?" he wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just a little something I picked up during my Palace investigation," Morgana answered. "Breathing into this incense should help clear up any ailments we come across in battle."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Where'd you pick up somethin' like that?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana looked alarmed. "I-It was right here in this Palace, before I met all of you!" he blurted out. "Now let's get going already!"</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>But where did Morgana get that incense? Who knows!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Cursed Library</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>There’s something strange going on with Ren Amamiya...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once again, nothing much happened for a while. Morgana explained how certain guards surrounded in a red aura are too dangerous for battle, but aside from that, it was just one standard Shadow battle after another. However, after fighting a Shadow that resembled a drowned horse, something caught Ren's eye. Walking over to a nearby bookshelf, there was a lone book sticking out. It was dark pink with a bright red heart on the cover. Curious, he picked up the book.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">"What is this...?" Ren thought to himself.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana noticed Ren and walked over to him. "What's wrong?" the not-cat asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I sense something strange about this book," Ren explained as he showed the book to Morgana.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you're curious about it," Morgana replied. "You can just take it if that's the case."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that in mind, Ren decided to show the book to the others as well. "The Queen Book?" Ryuji asked, reading the book's title. "Is this some kinda special book?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">Curious, Ren flipped through the book...only to be met with total disgust. Every page was filled with girls wearing bikinis. Realizing this, he slammed the book shut and shoved it into Ryuji's hands. He wasn't sure how he could get those mental images out of his head...</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You okay, Joker?" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"T-There's probably other books like that lying around," Ren stammered. "We should keep an eye on them just in case..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's a smart plan," Morgana complimented. "If there really are more books, it must be part of a puzzle."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The second book was found a while later. This particular book, entitled the Beefcake Book, was silver with a black dumbbell on the cover. Upon opening it, the pages contained pictures of various muscular guys along with various workout routines. Unlike the Queen Book, Ren couldn't keep his eyes off the pages. Eventually Ann got fed up and snatched the book from him.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">The third book was found shortly afterwards. It was murky and old-looking with a pair of iron shackles on the cover. Entitled the Slave Book, this particular book had some rather nasty images that if I were to describe them, I would have to bump up this fanfic's rating to explicit. So instead, let's just skip to Ren getting a bit cringed by the disturbing images and letting Morgana carry it for him.</p>
<p class="p2">After a couple of more Shadow battles, the fourth book was found. It looked much more pristine, being covered in gold with a shiny crown on the cover. To no one's surprised this King Book contained pictures of what appeared to be a younger version of Kamoshida with newspaper articles detailing past sporting events. While Ren was hesitant to take it with him, Pixie ultimately snatched it up...even though it was a bit too heavy for her.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But finding the fifth book was when things took a turn for the worst. This book was white with a blue male symbol and a pink female symbol on the cover.Flipping through the pages, Ren was horrified to see pictures of happy couples. Why horrified? Because these couples are all guy-girl pairings, ranging from rom-com posters to wedding advertisements from magazines. It only got worse when he looked at the book's title on the spine.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Written in black, bold letters were three simple words: The Rehab Book.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And just like that, everything Kamoshida had said suddenly made sense.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <b>
    <em>"Dōseiaisha freaks like him need to be corrected. Why deny the wondrous taste of a lovely woman?"</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">
    <em>"How cute. It seems he has already taken a liking to you. Guess he's not weird after all."</em>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">
    <em>"Maybe hanging out with someone like you could do him some good."</em>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh, Joker?" Morgana asked. "Why are your clothes flickering like that?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">Snapping back to reality, Ren realized Morgana was right. Without the sight of familiar blue flames, he was rapidly switching between his school uniform and thief attire. Taking a deep breath, he thought about Ryuji, Morgana, and Ann. Every time each of them found out who he really is, they were never quick to judge. They didn't treat him like an outcast at all. In fact, they accepted him as a good friend. Those thoughts calmed him down to the point where his thief attire was stable once more.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Skull, Mona, Pixie, and Panther..." Ren said with a content sigh. "Thank you..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What for?" Ann asked. Then she noticed the book Ren was holding. "The Rehab Book? What does it-" She noticed the two symbols on the cover. "Oh..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let's continue," Ren decided, trying to change topics. "There's probably a library where all of these books should go. Finding it has to be our main priority."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's a good idea," Morgana agreed. "Let's get going."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">After a bit of snooping around, the team finally found the library. "Whoa, it's so musty..." Ann commented.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Kamoshida doesn't really come here that much for reading," Pixie informed. "A lot of these books are usually left untouched."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You were right, Joker," Morgana said. "This library definitely seems fishy."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Aside from what Pixie just said?" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's a library in a castle," Morgana clarified. "There has to be some kind of secret mechanism in here."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We each have a book," Joker informed. "We should try to figure out which book belongs to which shelf."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, the team proceeded to look through the various books on the shelves. It didn't take long for them to figure out the recurring pattern with each of the shelves.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let's see..." Ryuji said. "The History of Kamoshida... Tracing Kamoshida's Steps... Kamoshida's Heroisms... Kamoshida's Law?" He frowned. "What the hell?! All these goddamn books're about Kamoshida!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie flew over to Ryuji. "Sounds like this should go in here," she said, placing the King Book on the shelf. "Kamoshida was always the king of this castle for as long as I could remember."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann was confused by the books she was searching through. "There are all sorts of books here..." she reported. "The titles don't have and rhyme or reason to them." Then her eyes widened in shock. "This book has Shiho's name in the title!" Her eyes looked at the other book spines on the shelves. "Wait... It's not just this one! All of the books here are about female students!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So it's not just the volleyball team?" Ren asked through gritted teeth. "Do you see a book labeled 'Yoshizawa'?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann looked back at the books. "No," she answered. "Why do you ask?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just for curiosity," Ren answered, sounding a bit relieved. He wasn't sure why, but he was somewhat intrigued by that Yoshizawa girl. Why was she staring at him?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji walked over to Ann and looked at the books as well. "Ann Takamaki: the Charming Doll," he read. "Holy shit..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the heck is this?!" Ann demanded.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm guessing this is where this book should go," Ryuji guessed, placing the Queen Book on the shelf.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Meanwhile, Pixie found a peculiar selection of books. "Hey Joker, I think I found a 'Yoshizawa' book over here!" she called out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren rushed over to where Pixie was flying and looked through the books. "Kasumi Yoshizawa: the Perfect Gymnast," he read. "So that's her name."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's another one right next to it," Pixie informed. She read the spine. "Ren Amamiya: the Transfer Student. That's you, isn't it?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This must be a list of students he tries to pair up," Ren assumed, placing the Rehab Book on the shelf.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As for Morgana, he was intrigued with a collection of books he found. "Hm... Wait a second," he said. "The books on this shelf seem familiar."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji walked over to Morgana and looked alarmed when he read the spines. "These're the names of the volleyball team members!" he exclaimed. He looked at a particular book. "Wait, what the hell?! All of the titles are boys from our school!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ryuji Sakamoto: the Vulgar Ape," Morgana read. He chuckled. "There's one here for Skull."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That bastard!" Ryuji shouted, tightly clenching his fists. "Who the hell does he think he is?!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana looked at the Slave Book in his paws. "Sorry Skull, but it looks like this goes here," he said, placing the book on the shelf.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As soon as that last book was placed, a wall of bookshelves opened up, revealing a hidden room. But upon setting foot in that room, they saw the most disgusting sight ever: the world's creepiest shrine.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ugh... The hell is this room?!" Ryuji asked. "There're tons of pictures of Suzui in here!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren looked at the photos on the wall. "Not just a ton," he corrected. "They're all pictures of Suzui." He picked up a nearby candle. "Don't worry, Panther. We'll make him pay for this."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah..." Ann agreed. "Definitely. I feel even more motivated to do this now."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana, on the other hand, rushed over to Ren. "Hold on, Joker!" he cried out, having a strong suspicion with what the dark-haired teen had in mind. "Put the candle down! We should search this room!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why?" Ren angrily asked, still grasping the candle.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing Ren wasn't going to cooperate, Morgana jumped up and snatched the candle from him. "There has to be something in here if he was hiding it with such an elaborate trick," the not-cat explained as he placed the candle back on the ground. "What were you going to accomplish by burning this room, anyway?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren didn't respond. For a brief second, it looked as though those pictures on the wall were of him instead of Suzui. And instead of Kamoshida's face on those flags, he saw the familiar image of a blonde, curly-haired girl with light brown eyes...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is this...a medal?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hearing Ann's voice snapped Ren back to reality as he rejoined the team. Sure enough, Ann was holding some kind of old medal.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well it has to be important," Morgana replied. "He went through all the trouble to hide it here, after all."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess we'll take it then," Ryuji decided.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait a sec," Ren spoke up. He picked up a piece of paper that was underneath the medal. "This looks important."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie flew over to Ren. "It's the second map," she revealed. "And look, it even shows the throne room."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A throne room, huh?" Morgana repeated. "It must be where the treasure is."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's a weird-shaped building..." Ann commented. "Could it be a tower or something."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well duh!" Pixie confirmed. "Kamoshida looks down on everyone in the castle. Having his throne room in the tallest tower fits for him."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're currently right here," Ren said, pointing at an image labeled 'Library'. "According to this map, we're halfway through the castle. We should be able to get to the throne room if we continue at a decent pace."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right!" Ryuji cheered. "Let's hurry over there!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No," Morgana corrected. "Now that we know how much we have left, we can calculate the best way to pace ourselves. Let's keep exploring, but take breaks when you need to, Joker."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Absolutely not," Joker insisted. "I'm not leaving until we find that treasure."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wow... Still obsessed, huh?" Pixie teased.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren looked at his clenched fist. "I have to keep going," he decided. "That pile of scum will pay for hurting me!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana looked surprised. "Did you say...'me'?" he checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"N-No, I meant 'her'," Ren nervously replied. "I'm doing this for Suzui..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before the team could question Ren further, a guard walked into the room. "Hey! What are you doing?!" he demanded.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Dammit..." Morgana groaned. "Of course they spot us now..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll halfta go through this guy to leave," Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was thinking the same thing," Ren agreed, taking out his knife. "Care to do the honors, Skull?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"With pleasure," Ryuji replied. Then he ran up to the guard and jumped above him. "Time for a beatdown!" he exclaimed, ripping off the guard's mask and initiating another battle once more.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Strong Resolves</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Palace infiltration continues.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After learning about Disaster Shadows from Morgana, the team was able to leave the library in peace. A while after they left, Ann spotted a peculiar display of books on a small shelf. Upon reading the titles, she concluded that this was probably where the Beefcake Book went. While placing the book on the shelf didn't activate a hidden switch, she did find...some weird bottle of protein. While there was nothing special about this bottle, Morgana insisted on adding it to the team's inventory just in case.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As for the medal, they were able to use it to open up a new pathway through the castle. But as they continued infiltrating, something strange was going on with Ren. Despite coming across a safe room, he refused to take a breather. Instead, he kept going, fighting Shadow after Shadow without stopping. All he could think about was finding that treasure and taking the sexual assault culprit down.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It was all for Shiho, after all.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...Right?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Of course, things only got worse when they came across what appeared to be a church-like room. After realizing this was meant to be the school gym, they were confronted by an armored Shadow with large wings. But instead of attacking, it started charging power instead.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Look! He's trying to do something!" Morgana warned. "It's important to guard if you think you're in dan-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The not-cat was cut off by an angry yell coming from Ren as he ran up to the Shadow and started slashing it like crazy. Morgana gasped in alarm upon realizing there was a bright red aura surrounding the dark-haired teen, so he ended up using Zorro to...hold onto him. But that didn't stop the should-be Wild Card user from thrashing around in the Persona's strong arms.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the hell?!" Ryuji asked. "What's up with Joker?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's just as I feared," Morgana replied. "He's losing his cool and getting too reckless! I'll have to hold him back until he calms down!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As a result of this unexpected delay, the battle became one-sided in the guard's favor. Without the added strength needed to go all-out with a powerful attack, Ryuji and Ann were quickly overpowered. Pixie ended up using twice as much magic as possible in order to make sure the two active Persona users didn't pass out. But even with that added bonus, it wasn't quite enough.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing things were quickly going south, Morgana took out his incense jar. "Quick, Pixie!" he called out, tossing the jar over to the allied Shadow. "Use the Awake Incense on Joker!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">Despite slight hesitation, Pixie ultimately decided that it was for the best. Flying up to Zorro, she slowly held the incense up to Ren, worried he might try to knock it away from her grasp. But luckily, after few seconds, his breathing slowed down and his body relaxed, all while the red aura disappeared.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Pixie?" Ren asked, feeling somewhat confused. "What happened?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh good, you're back to your senses," Pixie sighed in relief. She called out to Morgana. "It worked!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks Pixie!" Morgana called back as Zorro set Ren back on the ground. "Now let's take this guy out!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">One intense battle later, the Shadow was finally defeated, leaving the team drained and exhausted. "What was that for, Joker?!" Ryuji angrily asked as Pixie used her magic on him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What are you talking about?" Ren asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This wouldn't've happen if you didn't charge in like that!" Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's eyes widened behind his mask. "I'm sorry..." he muttered. "I don't know what came over me... I felt so...angry after seeing that secret room in the library that I couldn't think straight..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In that case, you should let us handle fighting," Morgana suggested. "You won't be able to help out if you're going to keep starting every battle with intense rage."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As if on cue, multiple guards appeared all at once. "Crap... More of 'em..." Ryuji muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What should we do?!" Ann nervously asked. "Head back?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, the treasure is definitely up ahead," Morgana insisted. "There has to be a path to it somewhere."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Turns out there was. Noticing the large Kamoshida statue in the room, Ren used his grappling hook to escape, safely landing on a platform high above the guards. Ryuji, Morgana, and Ann followed suit while Pixie flew over to them.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whew, that was close," Morgana sighed in relief. "Good going, Joker! That was some expert grappling."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was aiming for the nose..." Ren sheepishly admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana blinked a few times in surprise before responding. "Now we can investigate this area," he said. "Let's get to it."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">The rest of the infiltration went well without unexpected delays. At one point, they came across an unusual room, where they uncovered a skull-shaped potato. According to Morgana, this was a Will Seed, which was caused by the Palace ruler's distortions coalescing into a form. The not-cat also suggested taking it in hopes of weakening the Palace's distortions, so Ren took it. But that wasn't enough. He also had to take the two remaining Will Seeds as well to truly weaken those twisted distortions.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while after they found the Will Seed, the team was able to find the tower throne room. With Pixie's confirmation, they made their way to the throne room while using grappling hooks to avoid unexpected encounters with guards. This allowed them to sneak into the tower (which was covered in pillars shaped like barely-dressed torsos) without being detected, all while being able to pick up two more Will Seeds, causing all three of them to merge into a shiny crystal.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But just while things were going pretty smoothly, they came across a particular bridge full of swinging axes. "What is this?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's a classic security measure," Morgana answered. "My tail might be in danger if we try to force our way through."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh yeah, same for Panther's," Ryuji chimed in. "So...what do we do? No way we're gettin' through here as is."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily a peculiar object caught Ren's eye: a gaudy bust statue of a Kamoshida. He walked over to it and started inspecting it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You think this controls those swinging things?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Probably," Ren replied. "The placement of this statue feels off, so it was probably put here to hide a hidden switch. Maybe if I..." He started to tug on the bust's jaw, but there was no reaction.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I didn't think it would be that easy," Morgana admitted. "We'll probably need some kind of key for it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We gotta look for a key again?" Ryuji asked. He sighed. "What a pain in the ass..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Where would it be though?" Ann asked. "There weren't any suspicious rooms on the way here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then it's most likely an enemy has the key," Ren assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hm... That probably would be the most likely scenario," Morgana agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Y'mean one of them Shadows that's roamin' around?" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well duh!" Pixie replied. "What else would this enemy be?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But Ryuji wasn't quite happy with the implications. "Dude, how many of 'em do you think there are?" he pointed out. "We can't beat the crap outta all of them!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The key is for this tower, so it would have to be one of the Shadows around here," Morgana chimed in. "On top of that, it would have to be a relatively high-ranking one."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then we just need to look for Shadows like that and defeat them!" Ann assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before the team could leave, Pixie stopped them. "Wait," she said. "I think I know which Shadow we have to track down."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"R-Really?!" Morgana asked. "Who is it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A horseman," Pixie explained. "But not just any horseman. I know exactly which one to find."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, in a different section of the tower, the four Persona users remained hidden. Earlier Pixie had told them to stay back and let her deal with the Shadow. Apparently this was someone she knew back while she was working for Kamoshida, so she could try to negotiate with it. But just in case, they had to ready their ranged weapons in case they needed to jump into battle right away. So with the plan set in action, Pixie flew over to the guard and proceeded to fire a electrical bolt at it, causing it to disintegrate into an armored soldier riding a black horse.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You!" the Shadow exclaimed once he spotted Pixie. "What do you think you're doing?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Geez, is that any way to greet an old friend?" Pixie asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"King Kamoshida informed us about your betrayal, former lieutenant," the Shadow spat out, raising his spear at Pixie. "We know you sided with the intruders!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what if I did?" Pixie responded. "I'm still a Shadow. It's not like I suddenly turned human."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The Shadow lowered his spear. "That's true..." he agreed. "So you probably know what will happen if they succeed in taking King Kamoshida's treasure."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course," Pixie said. "He'll change his ways for the better."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The Shadow simply chuckled in response. "What's so funny?!" Pixie demanded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're a Shadow created from this castle," the Shadow recalled. "If it's destroyed, all Shadows who were born here will vanish as well."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie's eyes widened in shock. "...You're bluffing!" she cried out. "I severed my ties to the castle when-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"When you became part of that human's soul," the Shadow finished. "Or did you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie didn't respond. Thinking back to when she first met Ren and the others, she didn't exactly become one with him. All she did was agree to be the team healer. That was it. In all actuality, she was still a Shadow connected to this Palace. Did that mean she was on a suicide mission this whole time? If it's gone would she...die?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You know what?" Pixie asked after a few seconds of silence. "I made up my mind."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you finally see the truth," the Shadow responded. "Now will you come back over? I might be able to persuade King Kamoshida to restore your position."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But Pixie looked at the Shadow with a determined look in her eyes. "Not quite," she said. "Now, Skull!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As if on cue, Ryuji took off his mask and it dissolved into blue flames, allowing Captain Kidd to materialize. He fired off electrical bolts at the Shadow, paralyzing it in place. Pixie flew backwards a bit to let her the four Persona wielders deliver the finishing blow in an all-out group attack.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And don't come back!" Ryuji exclaimed as he delivered the finishing blow.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, the Shadow dissolved, leaving behind a pair of small orbs. Pixie flew over to them and picked them up for inspection. "Yep, these are the keys," she confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the hell are those?!" Ryuji asked as he walked over to Pixie. "Eyes?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Relax, they're just stone eyes," Pixie reassured. "But yeah, you put these in the bust to get the axes to stop moving."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's why the bust had empty sockets instead of eyes," Ren recalled. He smiled at Pixie. "Nice work."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie gasped slightly before smiling as well, flattered by the compliment. "Thanks," she replied, pushing aside those suicide mission-related thoughts. "Now come on, let's go find that treasure!"</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Infiltration Wrap-Up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With the treasure route secured, there are a few things that need to be taken care of before stealing Kamoshida’s distorted desires.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the stone eyes placed into the bust, the axes stopped moving, allowing the team to cross the bridge safely. From there, it was pretty much taking down one Shadow after another, although Ren let the others deal with them. After all, it was too risky to have another uncontrollable rage moment...wherever those moments came from.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After successfully sneaking passed the guards in the main throne room, the team was able to come across the tower's treasure room. "Whoa, what is this place?!" Ryuji asked in awe. "Holy shit! That treasure thing's gotta be in here!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Ryuji could look around the room, Pixie floating over to what looked like a floating light. "It's right over here," she informed the others.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good," Ren said as he tugged on his glove. "Now we just have to take it, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hold on a second," Morgana spoke up. "I was planning on telling you more once we made it this far. Simply finding the treasure isn't enough. We need to make it materialize before we can steal it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why materialize?" Ren wondered. "If we're stealing away those distorted desires, wouldn't it make sense if it doesn't have a physical form?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're right," Morgana confirmed. "Desires have no physical form by nature. Hence, we'll first need to make the real person aware that their desires are in fact a treasure. Once they're conscious that their desires might be stolen, the treasure will finally show itself."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But how do we do that?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We warn them,“ Morgana informed. "Tell them we're going to steal their heart."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we're gonna send a calling card?!" Ryuji assumed. "That's totally what a phantom thief would do!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Once we do that, the treasure will appear for certain!" Morgana continued. "...I think."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That again?" Ryuji sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I haven't done this before, okay?!" Morgana suddenly shouted. "Sometimes it's not that simple!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you mean by that?" Ren questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, uh..." Morgana stammered. "N-Never mind that!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Either way, sounds like it's worth givin' it a shot!" Ryuji encouraged.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"With the infiltration route secured, all that's left now is to pump out a calling card in reality, then come back to take the treasure," Morgana said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is it, huh?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yep," Pixie agreed, sadly staring at the floating light. Was this really it? If they take the treasure, would she actually die?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We won't lose," Ren vowed. "We have to take the treasure no matter what."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Damn right!" Ryuji cheered.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Once we sent out the calling card, there will be no turning back," Morgana warned. He looked over at Ren. "Just let me know when you're ready, Joker. We'll head back to the hideout and send out that calling card!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I say we send it as soon as we leave the Palace," Ren decided.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Wha- Already?!" Morgana asked in alarm.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We don't have much time," Ren pointed out. "We have fourteen days left until expulsion. The sooner we send out the calling card, the better."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, if you say so..." Morgana reluctantly agreed.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">When the team finally left the Palace, they instantly headed over to the karaoke bar to work on the calling card. "All right! All that's left now is to send out the calling card and take Kamoshida's heart!" Morgana said.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Couldn't we have just sent one at the beginnin' of all this...?" Ryuji realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's not that simple," Morgana pointed out. "A treasure won't stay materialized forever. Once the impression is gone, the treasure will disappear. I think it'll last around a day, at most."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's phone beep, prompting him to hold it out.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So that means we have to steal it as soon as Kamoshida gets the calling card.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Correct," Morgana confirmed. "You catch on quickly, Pixie."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I just want to make sure this heist goes off without any problems. If we wait too long, this expulsion-thingy will happen. I'm not sure what that means, but you guys are treating it like it's bad news or something.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It is," Ren confirmed, looking a bit sad. "But it's worse for me because of the probation."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we send the calling card in the morning...and carry out the plan by the end of the day, right?" Ann checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Are you worried?" Morgana wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann let out a slight chuckle. "Waited too long," she replied. "We're going to pull this off, no matter what!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response. "For Suzui," he chimed in as he pushed up his glasses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So, who's going to write the card?" Morgana wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Leave it to me!" Ryuji volunteered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why...?" Ryuji repeated. "Why wouldn't it be me?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is important," Ann pointed out. "Are you sure you can handle the pressure?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I must agree," Morgana spoke up.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"I really wanna get him good!" Ryuji insisted. "Lemme write it... C'mon, please?"</p><p class="p2">"You sure you can do it?" Ren checked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course I can!" Ryuji answered. "I got this!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But you have to be careful," Ren warned. "If you slip up, you might reveal our identities."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"I know, I know!" Ryuji said.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right, then!" Morgana chimed in. "Tomorrow it is! You'd better not slack off on this."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">That evening, Ren returned to LeBlanc feeling far more exhausted than usual. "Whoa, what happened to you?" Sojiro asked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Rough day at school..." Ren answered, feeling out of breath.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You better not be up to any trouble," Sojiro warned. "You make just one mistake and your life's over. Instead of hanging around, you should be studying or something. If there aren't any customers, you can use the shop."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Upon hearing the word 'studying', Ren's eyes lit up. "Really?" he asked. "Thanks."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You don't need to thank me," Sojiro replied. "I'm just telling you to stay out of trouble. If you're gonna study, you can use that table in the back. Just don't leave the place covered in eraser crumbs, all right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I won't, sir," Ren said as he proceeded to sat at the booth.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Unlike most teens around his age, Ren actually enjoyed studying. Unlike most teens around his age, he actually liked studying. After all, since he already had his life goal of becoming a politician, he had to make sure he had the highest grades possible. Sure he might be exhausted from all that infiltrating, but he still wanted to keep those high grades.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you think you're doing?!" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Going over today's lesson," Ren answered as he took out his schoolbooks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You can't study like that!" Morgana protested. "You clearly look tired! Wouldn't it be better if you get some sleep?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But...today's lesson..." Ren sheepishly muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Ren could actually start studying, Sojiro walked up to the booth. "Here," he said, placing a small plastic card on the table.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren picked up the card. "Beautifying Steam Sauna Fuji Bath?" he read.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's a bathhouse I often go to," Sojiro explained. "There's not a bath installed in the shop, so I'm letting you use my membership card to get in."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A bathhouse, huh?" Morgana chimed in. "It wouldn't hurt to stop by there and freshen up."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana was right. Ever since Ren came to Tokyo, he wasn't able to bathe for the past ten days. And if the not-cat was right about him smelling, he probably needed to bathe right away. And given the Palace infiltration, he was probably sweating as well.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks, sir," Ren told Sojiro. "I'll take you up on that offer."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Turns out a trip to the bathhouse was what Ren really needed. After showing the membership card to a woman behind a counter in the lobby, he was given soap, a bottle of shampoo, and a towel. Since he packed at fresh change of clothes for afterwards, he put his uniform in the changing room's washing machine as soon as he took it off.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After using one of the shower stalls to scrub away all the dirt and grime on his skin and hair, Ren slipped into the public bath. As soon as his body hit the water, he let out a relaxing sigh. The hot water felt so relaxing on his tense muscles. It also helped that there weren't a lot of other guests present, so he practically had the bathhouse all to himself.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">About a half hour later, Ren went back to the changing room with his towel wrapped around his waist. "You were in there for quite a long time," Morgana commented as the dark-haired teen took a sip from a water bottle.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You were right," Ren admitted. "I did need to stop here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You don't even look like your usual self," Morgana pointed out. "That heat must have gotten your blood flowing. Your skin's glowing too. Not to mention your hair is slicked back from the water. You look so handsome."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh... Thank you..." Ren shyly replied, brushing a hair through his still-damp hair. Maybe he should start coming here more often after school. It might just help out with his lack of confidence...</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Asmodeus, the Demon of Lust (Part 1)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>At long last, it’s finally time to steal Kamoshida’s treasure! But someone gets in the team’s way before the heist could be completed.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was originally supposed to be one chapter, but I realized it was getting too long, so I had to split into two parts.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p2">...</p><p class="p2">...</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the?! I thought that would remove some of the distortions!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why are they still getting worse?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait a sec... That girl... She almost looks like...!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Oh no..."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This can't be good..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I have to make sure he doesn't get too reckless tomorrow!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">The next day started off fairly normal. Well...with one little exception. The bulletin board was covered with small red cards, something every student at school noticed.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A calling card?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I heard it was posted by the time everyone got here this morning."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann looked at one of the cards and read it, wondering what Ryuji ended up writing.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sir Suguru Kamoshida, the utter bastard of lust. We know how shitty you are, and that you put your twisted desires on students that can't fight back. That's why we have decided to steal away those desires and make you confess your sins. This will be done tomorrow, so we hope you will be ready. From, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Wow," Ann muttered. She noticed Ren and Ryuji nearby, so she walked over to them.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not bad, eh?" Ryuji bragged. "I looked up a bunch of similar stuff online for reference."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Um... Yeah..." Ann said. "I know what you wanted to say, but it sounded like an idiot trying to be an adult."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Your logo's a little lacking, too," Morgana chimed in.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Th-That ain't true!" Ryuji stammered. He looked over at Ren. "You agree with me, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Your lack of vocabulary is terrible," Ren bluntly replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey!" Ryuji exclaimed, offended by Ren's words.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Did Mr. Kamoshida do something wrong?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Does this mean the rumors are true?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait a sec... Is someone gonna take something from Mr. Kamoshida?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's with this weird logo? And who're these Phantom Thieves of Hearts people?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...It got everyone excited," Ryuji pointed out. "So it's all good, yeah?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Kamoshida took note on the calling cards as well. "Who's responsible for this?!" he demanded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Look at that," Morgana purred. "A predictable reaction for someone who knows what we mean by distorted desires."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think it's hittin' him pretty hard," Ryuji agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Did you do this?!" Kamoshida shouted at the other students. "Or was it you?!" Then he noticed the group and walked over to them. "Was it you two?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What if it was?" Ren challenged as he lowered his glasses, giving the gym teacher a death glare.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What garbage..." Kamoshida muttered. "It's not a problem. You'll be expelled soon enough anyway."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p>
  <b>"Come... Steal it, if you can!"</b>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Kamoshida walked off, Ren was pleased with the results. "Did it work?" he asked as he pushed up his glasses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Judging from Kamoshida's response, I'm sure we had an affect on his Palace," Morgana confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Does that mean the treasure's appeared?" Ann asked. "We'll be able to get it today, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's not just 'today'," Morgana corrected. "It's ONLY today. The impact of seeing a calling card doesn't last long and it cannot be repeated. This will be our one chance to steal the treasure."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"One day's more than enough for us!" Ryuji bragged.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took out his phone. "You ready to do this, Pixie?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But there was no response. "Pixie?" Ryuji asked. "You okay in there?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After a few seconds of silence, Ren finally received a text notification on his phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm fine! Let's just get this over with!</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">Once school was done for the day, the team was back outside the Palace. But as soon as they arrived, Ren could tell the atmosphere had completely changed. Fully aware that they might get ambushed, he proudly led the team back to the tower throne room. But as soon as they arrived, they were in for quite a surprise.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the hell's goin' on here?" Ryuji wondered. "The door's just sittin' open and there aren't any soldiers around..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This place is probably undermanned now that they all got assigned elsewhere," Morgana guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Or we're walking into a trap," Ren pointed out, tightly grasping onto his knife.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well either way, we win as long as we can steal the treasure!" Morgana encouraged. "Let's keep going!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Without any obstacles in the way, the team arrived at the treasure room, where they came across a large glowing crown where the glowing light from yesterday was. Was this the materialized form of Kamoshida's distorted desires?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Aww yeeeaaaah!" Morgana cheered. "The treasure has appeared!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Man, it's huge!" Ryuji commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you think?!" Morgana asked. "It's just as I said! Now we can steal it!" His tail started wagging. "Ahh... The shine brings a tear to my eyes..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you feeling alright, Morgana?" Pixie checked, but the not-cat didn't respond.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It kinda pisses me off..." Ann muttered. "Why's it so pretty? Isn't this Kamoshida's desires?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's probably how he sees it," Ren guessed. "He values them above everything else." The grasp on his knife tightened. "But once we take them, it will finally be over."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"T-Treasure..." Morgana purred.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... The cat's actin' awfully excited," Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's wrong?" Ann asked. "Is something-"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Meeeeeooooow!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana jumped onto the crown and started nuzzling it, all while meowing loudly. The others could only stand there in confusion, not sure what to do regarding this sudden shift in behavior. Luckily Ren was able to say something.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not catnip," the dark-haired teen stated, causing Morgana to meow even louder.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji walked closer to the crown. "All right, that's enough, you stupid cat!" he said as he pulled the not-cat away from the treasure.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A split second later, Morgana snapped back to his senses and shook his head. "Oh, um, yeah..." he muttered. He jumped out of Ryuji's grasp and landed on his feet. "Forgive me for displaying such an insolent sight in front of two ladies..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Me too...?" Pixie muttered. Why did that compliment make her blush?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You were completely out of character too," Ann pointed out. "What was that about?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I couldn't stop it either..." Morgana admitted with a slight shiver. "To think I'd be drawn to human desires this much..." He gasped softly. "Doesn't that prove that I'm human?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How should we know?!" Ryuji asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A-Anyway, you guys need to carry it!" Morgana demanded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji happily looked at the crown. "That was easier than I thought!" he commented. "Guess there's no insane trap or something, Joker."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"His Palace will disappear if we take this back, right?" Ann checked. "An Kamoshida will change too..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That should be the case," Morgana confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good," Ryuji replied. "Now's our chance then."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, Ren, Ryuji, and Ann worked together to carry the massive crown. "It's heavy..." Ann complained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"To think it'd go so well..." Morgana praised. "I've even found three Persona users in the process..." He looked over at Ren. "My judgement was correct. I made the right choice in making a deal with you!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh... Thank you..." Ren replied. He looked back at the crown. "I just hope doing this will cause more than a change of heart..."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">The team left the treasure room without any issues. But before they could actually leave the Place...</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Go, go! Let's go! Ka-mo-shida!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">CLANK!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next thing they knew, the crown was knocked out of their grasp. In a flash of light, it became smaller...and was in Kamoshida's grasp. <b>"I won't let anyone take this!"</b> he shouted. <b>"This proves that I am king of this castle! It is the core of this world!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We know!" Ren spat out, readying his knife. "That's why we're taking it!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That rat bastard..." Ann angrily muttered, glaring at her cognitive double. "That's how he sees me, isn't it?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yo, pervert!" Ryuji called out. "You were waitin' to ambush us?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"I just made it easy to find you,"</b> Kamoshida revealed. <b>"I'll dispose of you myself. Right here, right now."</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's our line, you sexually-harassin' d-bag!" Ryuji yelled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"What a selfish misunderstanding..."</b> Kamoshida sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How is it a misunderstanding?!" Ann asked. "You were doing things that you kept secret from others!"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"People around me were the ones who kept it secret,"</b> Kamoshida clarified. <b>"Adults who want to share in my accomplishments, students who have the drive to become winners... They willingly protect me so that we all may profit from it."</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Profit...?" Ryuji echoed.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"There are too many imbeciles who don't understand that!"</b> Kamoshida continued. <b>"Including naïve brats like you and that girl who tried to kill herself!"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How dare you!" Ren shouted. "You're the one who pushed her! If she does survive, she probably won't be able to play volleyball anymore! The trauma from the rape will push her away from the sport! It's your fault her future is ruined!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No matter what kind of fool someone might be, they don't need your permission to live their lives!" Ann chimed in.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"Drop the attitude, you mediocre peasant!"</b> Kamoshida yelled. <b>"There is no wrong in using my gifts for my gain! I'm a cut above all other humans!"</b> He glare at Ren. <b>"And you... You don't have the right to speak! Dōseiaisha freaks like you are toxic! It's my job to fix those students by pairing them up with the right partners!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The hell...?" Ren muttered. He switched in his gun and aimed it at Kamoshida. "You think I need to be fixed?! You're one to talk, you sick monster!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Joker's right!" Ann agreed. "You really are a goddamn demon obsessed with your sick desires!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Kamoshida laughed, his voice became distorted as his skin turned bright pink. <b>"That's right,"</b> he growled. <b>"I'm not like you... I am demon who rules this world!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Kamoshida underwent a disturbing transformation. With a swirl of red and black goop, he did transform into a literal demon with large ram horns, a massive blueish tongue, bulging eyes, and four arms. He held a dark grey whip, golden utensils, and a wine glass that contained Princess Ann, all while tiny chained creatures carrying large golden orbs surrounded him. There was also a golden trophy cup in front of him, with the cup itself filled with blue legs.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wh-What the hell?!" Ryuji stammered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kamoshida let out a crazed scream. <b>"You goddamn, no-good, shitty brats!"</b> he roared. <b>"Haven't you been taught not to point at people?!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Look!" Morgana alerted the others, pointing at the crown on top of Kamoshida's head. "The treasure's over there! We should catch him off guard and steal it!"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"You dare try to steal my prized possession?!"</b> Kamoshida asked, having overheard Morgana speak. <b>"I won't let you get near it!"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What happened next was one volleyball assault after another courtesy of the creatures surrounding Kamoshida. They kept on pummeling volleyballs at the team, prompting Pixie to heal them. But given that her magic only allowed her to heal one person at a time, she had to rapidly fly to each Persona user every time they got hurt. The worst part was that given how Kamoshida forced the team to stay far away from him, they had to rely on using their Personas for attacks. That wasn't a problem for Ann, Ryuji, and Morgana, but Ren had a harder time.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Come Arsene!" Ren cried out, but for some reason, his mask wouldn't budge no matter how hard he tried to pull it off. He could feel his gloved hand flickering on and off like he might switch back into his school uniform at any minute. But taking a deep breath, he thought about his friends to make sure he continued to wear his thief attire.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Ann and Ryuji were using their respected Personas to attack with fireballs and electrical bolts, Morgana quickly noticed their leader's struggle. He gasped in alarm, having a sneaky suspicion what that probably meant. So without a second though, he sent Zorro to protect Ren at all costs.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">This went on for quite a while until Kamoshida started to eat the legs from the trophy cup. <b>"That hits the spot!"</b> he exclaimed. <b>"Come at me, you pieces of shit! I ain't lettin' you sleep tonight!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He healed himself?" Morgana realized. "Is it from eating one of those...things in the trophy?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Remember those girls from that dungeon where Panther got her Persona?" Pixie asked in response. "It's those same girls."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So he's feeding on them to strengthen himself?!" Ren assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's all the more reason to destroy it!" Morgana decided as he took out his slingshot. He then proceeded to fire an iron ball at the trophy, putting a large dent in it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"Hey!"</b> Kamoshida cried out. <b>"You don't know what this is worth, so stop touching it! Don't do it anymore, got it?! I've warned you!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji chuckled as he took out his shotgun. "So it's special, huh?" he responded. "Then we've got a new target!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, the four changed up their strategy. While the active Persona users tried to deal elemental damage onto Kamoshida himself, they used their ranged weapons on the trophy, something Ren had no problem doing. Luckily for them, the trophy turned out to be pretty fragile and it didn't take long for it to ultimately fall apart from constant bullet damage.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"No way!"</b> Kamoshida growled. <b>"This was from when I won the national! You think you can get away with doing such a thing?! Do you realize who I am?!"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"I am Ume Sano, the most beautiful and talented girl in all of Fountain Wishes High School! Everyone absolutely adores me!"</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ren froze in place. Instead of Kamoshida, he saw someone else standing in his spot: a girl with long, curly blonde hair and light brown eyes. She wore a navy blue blazer, a pale blue knee-length dress, white stockings, and dark blue flats with a black ribbon tied around her neck. She was looking at the dark-haired teen with a cocky smile on her face, seductively gesturing him to come closer.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>"Come on, Amamiya-kun,"</em> the girl teased. <em>"Come over here. I'm not through with our study sessions."</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"S-Sano...?" Ren muttered in shock. But before he could attack, the girl vanished as Kamoshida reappeared, leaving him confused while the rest of his team attacked without him.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Asmodeus, the Demon of Lust (Part 2)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The battle against Kamoshida starts to take a turn for the worst.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pushing aside those distracting memories, Ren went back to focusing on the battle. The others had just finished attacking all at once at this point, but the damage barely did anything. Worse, Kamoshida wasn't quite done. Every time he licked that accursed wine glass, his attacks became stronger. It felt like there was no end in sight. How were they going to defeat him?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"How dare you keep defying me!"</strong> Kamoshida snarled. <strong>"Looks like I gotta bring out the big guns! Slaves! Bring over you-know-what!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, the tiny creatures surrounding Kamoshida pulled out a large glowing volleyball. <strong>"Time for my killshot from when I was active and still rockin' it!"</strong> Kamoshida continued. <strong>"Killshot...as in I'll make the kill!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next thing Ren knew, he and his friends were suddenly knocked down by a sudden flash of light. Pixie gasped and rapidly flew between each phantom thief to heal them. But even with her added efforts, it was still not enough.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Dammit!" Ryuji exclaimed. "He's way stronger like this!"</p><p class="p2">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"What's the holdup?!"</strong> Kamoshida demanded. <strong>"I need another ball!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As if on cue, a familiar face ran over to Kamoshida. "I-I'm so sorry, King Kamoshida!" he stammered. "I-I have it right here!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Too slow, Mishima!"</strong> Kamoshida scolded. <strong>"Worthless chump!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji was surprised by this reveal. "Mishima?!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Wait, what?!" Ann asked. "Why's he here?!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't think that's the real Mishima," Ren pointed out. "He's acting too timid."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Joker's right!" Morgana confirmed. "That's only Kamoshida's cognitive version of him!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Good, Mishima. Now pass it to me!"</strong> Kamoshida encouraged. <strong>"Don't tell me you can't even do something as simple as that?!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"H-Here goes..." Cognitive Mishima stuttered as he served the volleyball.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren could sense another dangerous attack coming. "Everyone, shield yourselves!" he warned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Another flash of light filled the room, but it wasn't as strong as before. <strong>"I knew it..."</strong> Kamoshida snarled. <strong>"I can't go all-out with Mishima providing the backup!"</strong> He slammed his whip towards the cognitive double. <strong>"Hey, shit-for-brains! Get off my court!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, guards appeared and surrounded Cognitive Mishima. "I-I'm sorry, King Kamoshida!" he panicked as he was forcefully dragged off.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Next slave, get out here!"</strong> Kamoshida ordered. <strong>"Hurry up with my damn ball!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next person that came out was another familiar face, but she was dressed in a bunny bikini. "King Kamoshida, I've brought you your ball, just like you asked," she cheerfully replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Now that's a good girl, Suzui,"</strong> Kamoshida praised. <strong>"Yeah, all woman should obey my orders like this. Ain't that right, sweetheart?"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"N-No way!" Ann cried out. "What's Shiho doing here?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But as for Ren, he felt dizzy as a different sight overtook his vision. The blonde girl from earlier was back, but this time, she was accompanied with a double of himself, wearing white briefs with a chain around his neck. The blonde girl tugged on the chain as she forced him onto the ground with her foot, her heel pressing into his spine.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>"Good boy, Amamiya-kun..."</em> the girl purred. <em>"Every guy dreams of being stepped on. You're enjoying this too, aren't you?"</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren winced as he stepped back, all while reality returned. "What's gotten into you?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She... I... He..." Ren stammered. What was going on with his mind?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Ah, I get it!"</strong> Kamoshida assumed. <strong>"You still want to keep watching my killshot in action, don't you?!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A third one?!" Morgana asked. "What do we do?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I don't know!" Ren panicked. Instead of seeing a cognitive double of Shiho, all he could see was his own pain-stricken face.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing Ren was unable to think properly, Morgana whipped out a couple of smoke bombs and fired them at the ground. After a flash of smoke, Kamoshida realized the team was nowhere to be seen. <strong>"Where are you?!"</strong> he demanded as he looked around. <strong>"Where'd you go?!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Meanwhile, the team hid behind a nearby pillar. "What are you guys doing?!" Pixie asked. "You're supposed to be going after the treasure! Kamoshida started this fight you get you all distracted!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We would if Joker didn't act strange!" Morgana pointed out. He looked over at Ren. "What's gotten into you?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I'll try not to get distracted again."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So how are we going to get the treasure if he keeps attacking us like that?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren peaked out and noticed something that could help. "I see a terrace near him," he said. "If one of us sneaks over to there, we can snatch the treasure with a surprise ambush."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But that's impossible," Ann pointed out. "We'll end up-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Looks like a job for me," Ryuji interrupted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It won't work," Ren disagreed. "Between the four of us, Morgana is the only one Kamoshida doesn't personally know. He'll have an easier time sneaking around."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"C'mon man, let me do it!" Ryuji insisted. He pointed at his mask. "Kamoshida won't get suspicious if we make him think I didn't sneak off."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana quickly caught on to Ryuji's plan. "That's...actually pretty smart, Skull," he complimented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right," Ren said. "But be careful."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, the team sprung into action. While the others resumed fighting, Ryuji snuck behind a bust-shaped pillar and summoned Captain Kidd to fight alongside the team. To further elaborate the ruse, Zorro and Carmen were also summoned as a distraction. With the three Personas out in the open, Kamoshida's attention was more focused on them.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Finally showing yourselves, huh?!"</strong> Kamoshida asked. He slammed his whip onto the ground. <strong>"Listen up! This school exists because I'm around! You're the only ones who don't respect me, you know! Now experience the killshot feared by the whole world!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Quick, protect yourselves!" Ren warned. But this time, guarding had no effect. He, Morgana, and Ann were quickly knocked down, causing Zorro and Carmen to vanish.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Guys!" Ryuji called out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"So Sakamoto was able to dodge my attack!"</strong> Kamoshida assumed, noticing Captain Kidd was still active. <strong>"No matter! One more killshot should finish all of you off!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was unable to stand back up. He tried to summon Arsene, but blue flames flickered around his body. That's right... Igor called him the weakest Wild Card. This was all because he was unable to figure out why he couldn't use his Persona properly. Was this a punishment for his weakness? Was he going to die right here and now?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s1">"No need for mere words. Show me your true feelings."</span> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren gasped upon hearing Arsene speak to him. "That's right..." he said as he shakily got back on his feet. "It's not over yet. I can still fight!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He could now clearly see who the true enemy is.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"It's over, you delinquents!"</strong> Kamoshida roared as Cognitive Shiho readied another volleyball. She passed it over to him as he prepared to deliver another spi-</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"PERSONA!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Arsene materialized from blue flames and used his wings to deflect the blinding attack. As for Ann and Morgana, they were able to get back on their feet as well, surprised that Ren was able to summon his Persona without any issues.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"What?!"</strong> Kamoshida cried out. <strong>"You deflected my gold metal attack?! How could a freak like you be that strong?!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because I have friends who support me!" Ren answered, feeling a burst of newfound energy within him. "They don't care about that part of me!" He raised a fist towards Cognitive Shiho. "As long as they have my back, I can finally unleash my true strength!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, Arsene fired a light grey stream of energy at Cognitive Shiho, causing her to fall asleep. <strong>"Even Suzui was useless!"</strong> Kamoshida complained. <strong>"Looks like I'll have to give her some special instructions later...one-on-one!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Kamoshida, I'll never forgive you!" Ann yelled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kamoshida slammed his whip onto the ground. <strong>"What's the matter, slaves?!"</strong> he demanded. <strong>"Hurry up and bring me more volleyballs! I can't serve up my killshot without any balls!"</strong> But no one came. <strong>"Huh?! Did I just... Am I really out of slaves?!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p2">"Nice shot, Joker!" Morgana praised. "We won't have to worry about any more killshots!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed was an evenly-leveled display of attacks. With Arsene out in the open, he joined Zorro, Carmen, and Captain Kidd on triple-hit attacks. As for Kamoshida, he attacked with his utensils and tongue, but they weren't as strong as his killshots, much to Pixie's relief. While there were times when Arsene did start to flicker, Ren willed himself to keep fighting. After all, he was no longer distracted. He could now attack with all his might.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"You're misunderstanding it all!"</strong> Kamoshida snarled as he wildly swung his utensils around. <strong>"I haven't sexually harassed anyone! They came on to me because they wanted to get on my good side!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's bullshit!" Ren shouted, causing Arsene to fire dark energy at the multi-armed demon.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kamoshida retaliated by throwing his knife, which ended up hitting Captain Kidd. The impact caused him to dissolve back into Ryuji's mask, making the demon realize someone was missing this whole time.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"I knew there was one less of you!"</strong> Kamoshida growled. <strong>"Where's Sakamoto?!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Took you too long to notice, moron!" Ryuji called out from the terrace. Then he leaped into action. Despite somewhat wincing due to his bad leg, he was able to jump up and snatch the treasure.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The crown fell to the floor with a loud clank as Kamoshida dropped his wine glass, causing Princess Ann to dissolve into blue clay. <strong>"Nooo!"</strong> Kamoshida cried out as the crown shrank. <strong>"The symbol of my kingship!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren smirked as he readied his knife. "Time to dethrone you one and for all!" he exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, the team unleashed their full power. One after another, they dealt successful blows to Kamoshida, who was too weak to actually fight back. They switched between using their weapons and Personas. But the finishing blow went to Ren, who had Arsene deliver a dark energy blast, causing him to revert back into his previous form.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before the team could get back the crown, Kamoshida snatched it back up and ran towards the balcony. "What's wrong?" Ann asked, speaking in a cold tone. "Not running away?" She readied her whip. "Why don't you run? Aren't you a great athlete?"</span>
</p><p class="p2"><strong>"It's always been like this!"</strong> Kamoshida cried out. <strong>"All those goddamn hyenas forcing their expectations on me! I'm doing this all for them! What's wrong about demanding a reward for that?!"</strong></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now you're makin' excuses?" Ryuji angrily asked. "We'll do something about that distorted heart of yours."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kamoshida didn't respond. "Scared?" Ann asked. "Right now, you're seeing the same view that Shiho did. I'm sure she was scared too...except she had no choice but to jump. What will you do? Will you jump? Or would you rather die here?" She took off her mask, causing it to disappear into blue flames as Carmen materialized behind her.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Do you want to finish him off?" Morgana asked. "It's your call."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"No, please wait!"</strong> Kamoshida begged. <strong>"I beg you! Just forgive me!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shut up!" Ann spat out. "I bet everyone told you the same! But you... You took everything from them!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Carmen shot a fireball towards Kamoshida. <strong>"I accept defeat..."</strong> he sighed as he knelt down. <strong>"You want this? Take it."</strong> He tossed out the crown, which was caught by Ren. <strong>"Go ahead and finish me off... You do that...and my real self will go down too... You have that right since you've won..."</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann's hand tightened into a fist as she breathed heavily. She wordlessly glared at Kamoshida, ready to-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Allow me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What Ann heard next was the sound of a loud click.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Stay back, Panther," Ren ordered, aiming his gun at Kamoshida. "I must finish things off, not you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wha- Joker...?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It was never about the treasure," Ren revealed as he slowly walked over to Kamoshida. "It was about taking this creep down. I have every right to deliver the killing blow."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you for real?!" Skull exclaimed. "You were plannin' on a mental shutdown this whole time?!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"You have no idea how much you ruined my life," Ren said, now speaking to Kamoshida. "Thanks to your actions, every girl back home called me easy. They kept forcing themselves onto me and treated me like a toy." He pressed his gun against Kamoshida's forehead. "I have waited for this moment since that night. Once you're gone, I'll expose you as the monster you really are."</p><p class="p2">Ann realized what was going on. "Calm down, Joker!" she called out. "You're not thinking clearly!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You don't understand!" Joker shouted as tears formed from his eyes. "This is the only way I can end my suffering! I HAVE TO KILL SANO!"</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Ren's True Feelings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Trauma is something that can’t easily go away.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sano...?" Ryuji repeated. "Was that the girl who raped you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren sharply inhaled, his finger dangerously close to pulling the trigger. He didn't respond, but his silence said it all. At the moment, he couldn't see Kamoshida. All he saw was Ume Sano, the senior girl who took his virginity, staring back at him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>"Why are you getting angry at me?"</em> the blonde girl asked slyly. <em>"You're just denying your natural urges. Now stop playing and come back to me, Amamiya-kun. You know you enjoy my fun."</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shut up!" Ren cried out. Yet in reality, Kamoshida didn't say anything.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I get it now," Morgana spoke up. "I don't know who this Sano girl is, but it sounds like she hurt you." His ears drooped. "During this heist, you were so insistent on continuing. And that Shiho Suzui girl... You probably see yourself in her. She was a rape victim just like you. So you agreed to stealing his treasure in hopes of triggering a mental shutdown. Am I right with that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At this moment, Ren started breathing heavily, but he didn't lower his gun. The tears forming in his eyes finally dripped down his face as his hand started trembling. "She...took my innocence..." he confessed, speaking in a hushed voice.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily Ann ended up stepping in, placing a reassuring hand on Ren's shoulder. "I know you're still upset, but you're not thinking clearly," she said, trying to get the dark-haired teen to calm down. "Sano isn't here. She can't hurt you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren still didn't budge, but it was clear that he was starting to hesitate. While he remembered that they were dealing with Kamoshida, he couldn't help but see Sano in his spot. Despite the massive age difference, they couldn't be more alike. They were both admired throughout their respected schools to the point where others treated them like royalty. But despite their kind facades, they were capable of sexual assault. That was why his mind kept on playing tricks on him. Morgana was right. What happened to Shiho was no different than his own rape experience from last year.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Feeling overwhelmed by his conflicting emotions, Ren finally lowered his gun. "Then what do you think we should do with him?" he asked, his thief attire changing back into his school uniform. He could even feel his initial power spike from earlier slipping away.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If his mind shuts down, he can't admit his crimes," Ann decided as Carmen retreated back into her mask.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're kind, Panther," Morgana praised. "What about you, Jok-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">POW!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kamoshida fell to the ground with blood dripping from his nose. "It had to be done," Ren admitted as he withdrew his fist.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"I've...lost,"</strong> Kamoshida gasped. <strong>"You're through when you lose... What am I... What am I supposed to do now?"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Figure it out for yourself," Ren angrily spat out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"All right..."</strong> Kamoshida decided, a bright light surrounding him. <strong>"I will leave now and return to my real self... I'll make certain that I-"</strong> But he vanished before he could complete his sentence.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As soon as Kamoshida left, the whole castle started trembling, causing Pixie to gasp. "It's time..." she muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pixie is right," Morgana said. "We don't have time to waste. This place is about to collapse!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed was a mad dash out of the castle. As towers and walls collapsed, the team ran as fast as they could. When the left the throne room, Ren grabbed Pixie and held her tight as he ran. Meanwhile Morgana turned into his cat form and hopped over to Ren's shoulder. Sure there was a snag regarding Ryuji tripping, but he dismissed it as him not running so much in a long time.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet as the three teens ran, Pixie looked up at Ren. "I don't understand," she said. "There's a high chance I might die once this Palace is gone. Why would you still save me?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why wouldn't I?" Ren asked in response. "You're one of us, an honorary phantom thief. I didn't want to leave anyone behind."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie was in awe over Ren's kind words. "Joker..." she said, feeling a strange warmth in her body. She snuggled closer to his arms, all while a bright flash of light engulfed her vision.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next thing Ren knew, he and the others were back in a familiar alleyway. "That sucked..." Ann said as she breathed hard. She and the others were clearly exhausted from all that running.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji checked his phone and he looked alarmed. "What is it?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Look at the nav!" Ryuji answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren and Ann took out their phones as well. When Ren tried to see if it recognized Kamoshida's Palace, a new voice popped up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">The destination has been deleted.</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's true," Ann realized. "We can't go there anymore."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Alarmed, Ren opened up his messenger app. "Pixie, are you still there?" he asked. "Say something!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">There was no response. "Pixie...?" Ren repeated. Then a familiar beep rung in his ears.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Wait a second. How am I still alive?!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pixie!" Ryuji exclaimed. "You made it!”</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I don't understand. I thought that because I was still a Shadow, I would die once the Palace was gone. So how is it that I'm still here?!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"More importantly, what about the treasure?!" Morgana chimed in.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As if on cue, Ren suddenly felt something heavy in his pants pocket. What he pulled out was a shiny gold metal tied to a red and white ribbon. "Where did this come from?" he wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the..." Ryuji muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A medal?" Ann asked. "Wait, where'd that crown go?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It means that was the source of Kamoshida's desires," Morgana guessed. "To him, this medal is worth as much as that crown we saw in the Palace."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren looked at the medal. "This doesn't look like an ordinary medal," he commented. "I think it's from the Olympics."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So, that perv kept clingin' to his past glory and couldn't let it go..." Ryuji assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But...this means that Kamoshida's heart might have changed, right?" Ann pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Probably," Morgana answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You serious?!" Ryuji exclaimed. "Our expulsion's on the line here!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is the first successful example for me too!" Morgana defended. "However, there's no doubt that this has affected Kamoshida's personality quite a lot. The entire Palace disappeared, after all."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ugh, I feel all antsy!" Ryuji complained. "Ain't there a way to check now?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't think there is," Ren answered. "I'm worried about what might happen next..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Come on, why the gloomy faces?" Morgana encouraged. "Be happy! We completed this with great success, you know."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We just don't know if everything's okay yet..." Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm pretty sure it'll be fine," Morgana insisted. "Remember how Kamoshida's Shadow said that he's returning to his self in reality? We all know Suguru Kamoshida is scum. Still...he did seem to regain his conscience somewhat before he disappeared."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Especially after I finally decked him," Ren humorously chimed in.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Lol! That was so funny!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And like Pixie, there are definitely those who have been saved thanks to what you've done," Morgana continued.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Well technically I only agreed to help heal you guys in exchange for you not killing me, but you know what? I've finally warmed up to you humans.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You really mean it?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Of course! Smiley face icon! I'm proud to call you guys my friends!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So I guess all that's left is to wait," Ren said, changing topics. "I can only imagine what might happen if we fail..."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When Ren returned home that evening, he decided to clear out the junk that was still in the attic. So as he was looking through the various old books, he received a text from Ann.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Thanks, Amamiya. I finally got to avenge Shiho because of you guys. I'm pretty sure there was no way I'd have been able to do anything on my own.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was ready to type out a reply, but then a thought crossed his mind. He should be the one thanking her, not the other way around. If Ann didn't stop him from killing Kamoshida, things might have took a turn for the worst. He was grateful for the save, so he decided to respond the best way possible.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I should be the one thanking you, Ann. You stopped me from killing Kamoshida.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A few seconds passed before Ann finally replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Did you just call me by my first name?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yes. Should I still call you Takamaki instead?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">No, that's okay, Ren. But seriously, thank you. I owe you so much.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You helped too. It was a team effort.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You think? I'm glad to hear that. Anyway, that cognitive world was pretty crazy, huh? What a mysterious place. I can't believe we actually stole someone's heart.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Me neither. That was some battle we faced.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Speaking of mysterious, there's also the matter of Morgana's transformation. When we were escaping, didn't he turn back into a cat even though we were still in the Palace?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren showed the text to Morgana. "Lady Ann sure is sharp!" the not-cat purred. "I'm impressed. Basically, the treasure changes the shape of things. Once that's gone, that power no longer works. Though the real reason I changed quickly back then was because I'm incredibly skilled!" He let out a happy meow. "How's that? Isn't that amazing?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you say so," Ren replied with a sigh. He went back to texting.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">He said he's "amazing", but I'm going with what he said about the treasure being stolen changed him back into a normal cat.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Oh yeah, I forgot Morgana is reading these messages too.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Don't forget about Pixie. She's stuck in my phone and she can only talk through our main group chat.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Right, her too. You know, I feel a little better after talking to you. Thanks.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Don't mention it.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We still haven't seen any results, but it feels like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders. I hope you don't mind talking to me too much.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I don't mind either.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I just had an idea. If Shiho feels any better, would you like to come with me to visit her?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sure. I hope she feels better.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Me too. Well, see you tomorrow.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was about to put his phone away and resume cleaning when a thought popped into his head. "Hey Morgana, could there be other Palaces in existence besides Kamoshida?" he questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"WHAT?!" Morgana yelped. "Why would you say that?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because there's something I want to check out," Ren answered as he opened the navigation app.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wh-Who do you want to check?" Morgana nervously asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The one who abused me," Ren clarified. He activated the app's microphone feature. "Ume Sano."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">Candidate out of range.</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's eyes widened in shock. "So she does have a Palace..." he muttered. "And yet..." The grip on his phone tightened.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's the full name of the girl who raped you," Morgana commented. "I'm sorry, Ren. Male or female, no one deserves to get raped."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You shouldn't apologize," Ren said. "It was my fault I let it happen. If only I was stronger at the time..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana hopped onto the desk. "I understand," he replied. Then he nudged the bathhouse membership card. "Why don't you tell me more about it after a trip to the bathhouse? That battle was pretty exhausting and I'm sure you need to relax."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren looked back at the still-cluttered bookshelf. "I'll go once I finish cleaning," he decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, as Ren went back to cleaning, Morgana watched the dark-haired teen. "You're strong, Ren Amamiya..." he quietly muttered. "The world might be against you, but I can sense something special within you. I wonder what will happen if I keep giving you the right nudges..."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">Meanwhile, in a rural town far away from Tokyo...</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The voices..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can still hear them echoing..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's no way I can stop them."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please end this madness..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I... I don't want to think...anymore..."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. The Waiting Game</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With Kamoshida's treasure stolen, all that's left is to wait for the change of heart.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The official Persona 5 anime dub is out now, so expect more anime screenshots in later chapters.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day was pretty uneventful. With Kamoshida's treasure successfully stolen, all that was left was to wait and see if he would have a change of heart. And what better way to kill some time than swing by the school library during lunch for some light reading?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Welcome to the school library," a female student said. "Is this your first time here?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It is," Ren confirmed. It sounded like this girl was a student librarian.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's my job to explain the rules of the library to first-time visitors," the student librarian continued. "You're only allowed to borrow one book at a time. Once you finish, please be sure to retur- Huh?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is something wrong?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That badge..." the student librarian commented. "Are you a second-year?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I am," Ren confirmed. "What about it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Unkempt hair, thick glasses..." the student librarian muttered. She gasped. "Could you be that weird transfer student I keep hearing about?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren froze up. "Y-You're mistaken..." he stammered. "I-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I knew it..." the student librarian said. "I don't mean to be rude, but you shouldn't come here. You're scaring the other students too."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry..." Ren nervously apologized. With that, he left the library without another word.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're not welcomed anywhere you go..." Morgana complained. "I guess there's nothing we can do about it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They probably won't accept me into any clubs, either," Ren guessed as he pushed up his glasses. He sighed in defeat. "So much for living a normal school life..."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With his library plans botched, Ren met up with Ryuji in the courtyard for lunch. "Have you seen Kamoshida?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not really," Ren answered. "What about you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nah," Ryuji replied. "You really think he changed?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hope so," Ren guessed. "I don't want to get sent to jail.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, perfect timing!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came from Ms. Kawakami, who was walking over to the two teens. "Hello, Ms. Kawakami," Ren greeted. "Do you have something you want to tell us?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Study hall will be held instead of PE today," Ms. Kawakami revealed. "I'm letting you know in case you haven't heard. Mr. Kamoshida has taken the day off."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji was surprised to hear that. "He ain't here?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't tell anyone that you heard this from me, but we received word that Mr. Kamoshida is placing himself under suspension," Ms. Kawakami revealed. "It's such an important time before the tournament too..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good," Ren blurted out, sounding relieved.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Excuse me?" Ms. Kawakami questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh... Don't mind him," Ryuji chimed in, covering for Ren. "He's still mad 'cause Kamoshida spiked him in the face during the volleyball rally."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ms. Kawakami was silent for a few seconds before continuing. "Principal Kobayakawa went to talk to him about it, but he supposedly wasn't making any sense," she said. "The talks about your expulsion may be put on hold too. I don't know much about it, though... Anyway, I've relayed what's going on to you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Ms. Kawakami left the courtyard, Ryuji thought about her words. "Looks like somethin' happened," he commented. "At least it sounds different from a mental shutdown."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Part of me wishes it was a mental shutdown..." Ren sheepishly confessed. "But it looks like we just have to wait for now."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once classes were done, Ren received a text from Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Man, all this waiting's got me so antsy. We should go on a trip or something. Whaddya think?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sorry, I'm gonna have to pass.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What, you busy?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, I'll be visiting Shiho in the hospital after school for the next few days. I can't do much to help her, but it'll be nice to at least see her face.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Gotcha. I hope she wakes up soon. At least we can still hang out, RenRen.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sorry. I'll have to pass for today. I need to stop by Takemi's clinic for a checkup.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">A checkup? What for?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It's part of a workout routine Morgana came up with. He wants me to do pull-ups every morning, so I wanted Takemi to help monitor my progress. Not to mention that whole fight with Kamoshida. But don't worry, we can hang out tomorrow.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sounds good to me.</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The checkup at Takemi's clinic was pretty basic. She checked Ren's blood pressure, heart rate, and patched up some light injuries that were the result of the Kamoshida battle. She also took a blood sample from him. When she was done, she proceeded to go over the results.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Your pulse and blood pressure seem fine," Takemi reported. "Your blood tests are also normal and your muscles show slight development from the last checkup. So I wonder where all your fresh bruises are coming from. You have a weird part-time job or something?"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, of course not," Ren answered. "The gym teacher at school hates me. He keeps spiking volleyballs like some kind of punishment and lately I'm one of his newest targets."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In that case, I want you to have this," Takemi said. She took out a small packet containing powder. "Take this with cold water. It should help clear up the bruises."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks," Ren replied as he accepted the packet.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Later that evening, Ren was studying at LeBlanc. Per Takemi's advice, he had already put the powder in a cup of cold water and he was currently sipping it as he studied. But as he was going over his notes on Emperor Nero, he heard a disturbing announcement from the TV.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Tragedy struck in Okina City when a recently-graduated high school girl was found dead at her home last night."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's eyes widened as he looked at the TV. "Okina...?" he repeated. That area was close to his hometown.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The causes for her death appear to be unknown, although it has been speculated that she died from a sleeping pill overdose. The police are currently investigating to see whether or not this is true."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The news proceeded to go into details regarding the victim, but Ren could barely pay attention when her photo was shown. Curly blonde hair, light brown eyes... He recognized that girl.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sano...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sojiro noticed Ren's shock. "You know that girl?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah..." Ren answered. "She was my senior back home..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry to hear that," Sojiro apologized. "It must be hard knowing someone you know die like that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But at that moment, a smile gradually appeared on Ren's face. "It's not," he confessed. <em>"Good riddance. She deserved to die."</em></span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Later that evening, after spending a relaxing time at the bathhouse, Ren was peacefully sleeping. While Morgana was out on one of his nighttime walks, Pixie decided to tell Ryuji and Ann about what happened about the news.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hey, did you guys hear what happened in Okina City?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah. What about it?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I think that girl was the same Sano person Ren knew.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">For real? How's he handling it?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I think he's happy about it.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I don't blame him for that. He told me the rape started when she convinced him to be her study partner. And the way he talked about her back in the Palace seems like she was no different than Kamoshida.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">But is that what she was really like?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Whaddya mean?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We only know about this Ume Sano girl from what Ren told us. Maybe she wasn't as bad as he describes her.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Pixie, he said she told the other girls he was easy after the rape. That doesn't sound like a good person.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So what should we do about it now?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We should probably give Ren some space. His behavior when he confronted Kamoshida sounds like he's still traumatized over it. Maybe this is just his way of coping.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You think so?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm just guessing. Even if I'm wrong, we should still just let it be.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That I agree with. Who knows what's going on in his head right now...</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Morgana had returned from his nighttime walk and he noticed the light coming from the phone. Curious, he hopped onto the desk and used his nose to look at the text conversation. He frowned slightly.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You okay, Morgana?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The not-cat glanced at Ren before looking back at the phone. "I don't know anymore..." he admitted. "I thought some of the distortions would clear up, but they're only getting worse." Then he noticed Pixie looked like she was about to reply. "You can't say anything about it! If he sees your message, he might realize what's going on!"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Groan! Fine... Just be careful with him, okay?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry," Morgana reassured. "I'm sure everything will turn out alright."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Brown and Maroon Heartstruck</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A new person enters Ren’s life.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day was somewhat uneventful. When classes were done, Ren headed over to the courtyard with Ryuji for some training. The whole training thing was Ryuji's idea due to wanting to improve his running ability after Kamoshida broke his leg. As they trained, they also chatted about various things.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So Ryuji, what's your type?" Ren asked during push-ups.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My type...?" Ryuji repeated. "Oh, you mean girls." He thought about it for a while. "W-Well, uh... There's this one girl who I like. She's beautiful on both the inside and out. We've known each other for years, but I just noticed there's somethin' about her that makes me feel weird lately."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Does she have a name?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji's face turned red. "C-Can we change topics already?!" he blurted out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay," Ren agreed. "Why did you dye your hair?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ryuji stopped doing push-ups and stood up. "It's personal..." he nervously muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren stopped his push-ups and stood up as well. "I thought it was because of the track team getting disbanded," he guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?!" Ryuji asked. "Did Kawakami told you?! Because that's so not what happened!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then what was it?" Ren questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, it's because..." Ryuji said. "B-Because..." He muttered under his breath.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sorry, what was that?" Ren jokingly asked. "I didn't quite get that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It was to help Ann feel less weird!" Ryuji blurted out, still blushing. "There were too many students making fun of her bein' part-American and all, so I dyed my hair so she wasn't the only blonde at school."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren let out a soft chuckle. "C'mon, it's not funny!" Ryuji shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, I'm not laughing at that," Ren corrected. "You have a crush on Ann, don't you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"H-Huh?!" Ryuji stuttered. "No, I don't! Why would you say somethin' like that?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren chuckled again as he pushed up his glasses. "I'm not dumb, Ryuji," he said. "I had a feeling you like her. All it took was the right buttons to push to confirm it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Well, what about you?" Ryuji asked, still somewhat flustered. "What's your type?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My type...?" Ren repeated. He thought about it for a while. "I...haven't thought about that. I was so busy trying to maintain a straight facade that I never found myself questioning what type I like."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you don't really know," Ryuji realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I haven't really come across a guy that caught my attention like that," Ren admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, don't sweat it, RenRen," Ryuji encouraged. "You'll find your type eventually."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once training was done for the day, Ren headed back to LeBlanc for studying. As he studied at the counter, Sojiro gave him a plate of curry. "Huh?" he asked. "What's this for?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's your dinner," Sojiro answered. "You better eat up because I don't want the government on my back about not feeding you properly."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you, sir," Ren replied. He decided to take a break from his studying to eat. He took a spoonful of curry and to his surprise, it was delicious.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is incredible," the dark-haired teen complimented once he swallowed his mouthful. "What are the ingredients?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Impressed, huh?" Sojiro asked in response. "It's actually a secret recipe of mine."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then...can you teach me?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure, but for a price," Sojiro answered. "I remember you offering to help out around the cafe, so I'll teach you how to cook curry in exchange for your help. You okay with that deal?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course!" Ren agreed, sounding a little too enthusiastic.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sojiro chuckled. "Sounds like you're eager to start," he commented. "Finish up your dinner and I'll start teaching you the basics."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When Ren finished up his dinner, he put away his study materials and took off his school blazer. Once he was wearing an official LeBlanc apron, Sojiro taught him how to make coffee. While the cafe didn't have a lot of customers, there were regulars who stopped by. There was even a small notebook to keep track of the special blends those customers usually order.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Ren was taking note on the available coffee beans in stock, two people walked in. He assumed they were probably some of the regulars Sojiro was talking abo-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh... So this is your regular spot, Nijima-san?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's eyes widened upon hearing that soft, honey-like voice. Averting his gaze from the coffee beans, he took note on the two customers: a grey-haired woman wearing a black suit and...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Well...Ren wasn't quite sure how to describe this particular boy.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He was sharply-dressed, wearing a nice suit that include a tan peacoat and black gloves. He had perfectly smoothed-out, chin-length brown hair and a slender posture. In his left hand was a silver briefcase marked with a black 'A'. Everything about him left a distinct aura of pleasantness, even down to the way he walked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ren was left completely in awe. He wasn't sure why, but he felt instantly entranced by this boy. He was so handsome, so perfect, so...enchanting. He kind of looked like royal prince from fairytales.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Back in reality, the grey-haired woman, who was presumably Nijima, sat by the counter. "Wouldn't exactly call her a regular," Sojiro told the pleasant boy. He looked over at Nijima. "And to what do we owe this pleasure, miss?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No reason," Nijima casually answered. "I just happen to prefer your coffee, is all."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Meanwhile, the pleasant boy sat by the counter as well...right across from where Ren was standing. His gaze was fixated on the dark-haired teen, making him feel even more nervous. Why did it feel like his brain was turning into mush?</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... Excuse me, but have we met before?" the pleasant boy asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"N-No..." Ren answered. <em>"Did I just stutter?"</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My name's Goro Akechi," the pleasant boy said, introducing himself. "I really like this place. It's got a good vibe."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm Ren Amamiya," the dark-haired teen replied. "And thank you. I just started working here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Things were silent for a while. With Sojiro's help, Ren was able to make a cup of coffee, which he served to Akechi. As he enjoyed the cup, he was reading a copy of The Wife by Anton Chekhov.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>"So he enjoys reading Chekhov's work..."</em> Ren thought to himself. He remembered coming across some of his works in a bookshop back home, yet he hasn't read that particular book. He made a mental note to see if there was a bookstore in Tokyo that had it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"When you think about it, a detective is something ambiguous and uncertain," Akechi spoke up, breaking the silence. "You agree with me, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It took a while for Ren to realize Akechi was speaking to him. "Depends on which detective you're talking about," he answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"By themself, there's no guarantee a detective will be useful to society," Akechi continued. "There are a couple of things needed to prove their value. A tough case in which only he or she is able to solve...</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...and the existence of a worthy rival to make such a case."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren felt the mush-brain feeling come back to him. He noticed Akechi's eyes weren't entirely brown. The shade almost looked like a striking shade of maroon, all while the charming boy's gaze made his heart race. The words he spoke were attractive as well. But with the way he talked, it almost sounded like he was...flirting with him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry," Akechi apologized, noticing Ren's lack of responses. "I'm not boring you with all of this, am I?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?" Ren muttered. "No, of course not."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Meanwhile, Morgana was carefully listening in near the attic steps. He noticed Ren was acting differently as he chatted with Akechi, less composed and more shy. Shyer than usual, in fact. It almost sounded like...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Great..." Morgana muttered to himself. "Ren Amamiya's got himself a crush."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yep! After twenty-eight chapters, Goro Akechi finally debuts in the fic! Expect a lot more ship tease moments in future chapters.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. The Fourth Secret Keeper</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The day of the board meeting is here, but has Kamoshida truly changed?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">For a while, nothing much happened. I could take up a couple more chapters describing every single detail, but I would really like to wrap up this story arc, so I'll have to abridge them.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While waiting for the change of heart, Ren ended up forming a daily routine. Every morning he would start the day with his usual pull-up training and enjoy a hot cup of coffee afterwards. As for his schooling, there wasn't much he could do. Just like he suspected, all of the clubs were wary of him, so it felt like he wasn't allowed to join. And given the whole deal with the volleyball team, joining a club felt like a bad taste in his mouth. Besides, he wanted to focus more on his studies, which he often did at night as soon as he came back to LeBlanc. He also visited Takemi's clinic on occasion for regular checkup sessions.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Aside from keeping up the appearance of a normal high school student, Ren also had his training sessions with Ryuji. While the whole training aspect was fairly normal, he felt comfortable about telling the ex-track student about various things. He did tell him about how he discovered his type on that particular evening, to which Ryuji concluded he probably has a thing for handsome, prince-like guys.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">There was also the amount of nighttime activity Ren was allowed to do. Aside from visiting the bathhouse, Sojiro allowed him to explore Yongen-Jaya at night. Yet in all honesty, Ren felt more comfortable just visiting the bathhouse at the moment, especially when they offered medicinal baths on Sundays. During his first night soaking in one of those therapeutic baths, Morgana commented on how he smelled good. Yet whether it was a typical hot bath soak or a medicinal bath, Ren was glad Sojiro let him borrow his membership card. Stopping by there every evening was helping him maintain clean hygiene.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But the best nights were when Ren helped out at LeBlanc. Since he already know how to cook, he had no problem learning how to make coffee. On one particular night, an elderly man stopped by to chat with Sojiro, but he didn't seem to happy about the visit. The choice of words he used sounded confusing, but Ren decided to not interfere. It was probably something personal and the last time he got involved in that kind of business, the cops were dragging him into a police car. Besides, he was more interested to see if that Akechi person would stop by again.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet with each passing day, there was the growing anxiety about whether or not Kamoshida really had a change of heart. With him no longer at school, the team wasn't quite sure what was going on. Ryuji was the most anxious of the group, especially regarding the expulsion threat. Every day he kept on texting Ren to see if he heard anything, but the dark-haired teen always replied 'no'. And with Kamoshida's Palace gone, there wasn't much left for him to do. He ultimately decided to forego the whole phantom thief stuff. After all, it was just a one-time thing. He had to keep a low profile, after all.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Overall, Ren was just hoping nothing else happened and he could breeze by the probation for the remainder of the year.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With time quickly passing by, it was already May 1st. At the moment, Ren was currently packing his bag to head for the bathhouse to help relax. After all, tomorrow was the board meeting and both he and Morgana was worried about what might happen tomorrow. But they weren't the only ones. Quick texts from Ann and Ryuji indicated they were also worried.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">The board meeting's tomorrow, right?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">We're gonna get expelled if Kamoshida doesn't have a change of heart by then...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Calm down, Ryuji. We did all we could.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Well it better work! The castle's gone! Shouldn't that prove he changed his ways?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Either way, I'm not going to lose hope.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Me neither.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">You're both right. It's a little too early to be giving up now.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">That's the spirit, Ryuji! Smiley face!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Guess we're gonna find out one way or the other tomorrow. We just gotta brace ourselves for all the possibilities.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">And hope I can stay in school.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sorry I can't offer more reassurance, but he should have the change of heart," Morgana hoped. "Let's just believe in that while we wait for tomorrow."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren sighed as he picked up his bag and Sojiro's membership card. "I know, but part of me is still worried," he admitted. "I didn't just nose-punch Kamoshida in the Palace."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right, you also did that after the attempted suicide..." Morgana recalled. His ears drooped. "Well...here's hoping you don't get in trouble for that..."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, while walking to school, Ren overheard a conversation between some passerby students.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Monday’s are such a drag... Why couldn't they give us today off, too? We have the rest of the week off starting tomorrow..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, it's ridiculous. Speaking of, what's up with that calling card? The one sent to Kamoshida. Didn't it say something about ‘stealing his distorted desires' or something weird like that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, something like that... I'm sure it's just a prank. No one's taking it seriously."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before classes could start, all students were required to meet up at the gym for an announcement. Naturally no one was really happy about it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's with the sudden morning assembly?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I bet it's about that girl that jumped the other day."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They don't have to tell us not to commit suicide."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There was that weird calling card too, so I guess the teachers are freaking out?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily Principal Kobayakawa spoke up, causing the students to stop gossiping. "Let's begin this school-wide morning assembly," he said. "As you all know, a tragic event took place the other day. Thankfully, we have been informed that she has pulled through, but it will take time until she recovers. Everyone here has a bright future ahead. I implore that you rethink the importance of life and-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, the gym door was heard opening. The students looked to see who entered. It was Kamoshida, who looked different than usual. He looked sad and there was a large bruise on his now-swollen nose. This confused a lot of the students and the principal as well.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Mr. Kamoshida, what's the-" Kobayakawa started to ask.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I...have been reborn," Kamoshida said. "That is why I will confess everything to you all..." He walked onstage and faced the students. "I have repeatedly done things that were...unbecoming of a teacher. Verbally abusing students, trying to hook up gay students into boy-girl couples, physically abusing my team, and...sexually harassing female students. I am the reason why Shiho Suzui tried to kill herself!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He fell to his knees as he continued. "I thought of this school as my own castle... There were even students that I sentenced to expulsion, simply because I didn't like them... I will, of course, rescind those... I am truly sorry for putting innocent youths through such horrible acts... I am an arrogant, shallow...and shameful person." He paused. "No, I'm worse than that... I'm also a homophobe who wouldn't accept gay people as human beings... I will take responsibility and kill myself for it!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Not much happened. While students were horrified by the reveal, teachers were trying to calm them down. But then, an unthinkable voice spoke up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Damn right!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came from a male student. "You're the reason why my boyfriend suddenly transferred schools!" he shouted. "You deserve to die!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Just like that, more voices began to speak up, from both male and female students. They all cried out the same thing, wanting Kamoshida to die as well. These outbursts genuinely surprised Ren. He thought the books in the Palace that were supposedly listed under 'rehab' were students the gym teacher had try to hook up, but maybe that initial assumption was wrong. Did those books actually represent homosexual students at Shujin Academy? If so, that could only mean one thing.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He was not alone.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">There were other gay teens attending this very school.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't run, you bastard!" Ann suddenly yelled. "Shiho's still alive after all the things that made her want to die! You have no right to run from this!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're right..." Kamoshida agreed as he stood up. "You're absolutely right... I should be punished under the law and atone for my crimes... I did horrible things to Takamaki-san as well. In return for giving Suzui-san a position on the team...I tried to force her into having relations. As of today, I will resign from my position as an instructor and turn myself in. Someone, please call the police!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While teachers were instructing students to return to class (even while the group of gay students continued to heckle Kamoshida), people started to talk about what caused the now-former teacher to turn himself in.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Isn't this just what that calling card said?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Does this mean the whole thing with those Phantom Thieves of Hearts was for real?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Was something done to Kamoshida?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"C'mon, there's no way you could steal someone's heart!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But why else would he start saying things like he'll kill himself or turn himself in?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maybe because it almost got leaked? Don't they go easier on you if you turn yourself in?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wonder what happened..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who knows... But man, Kamoshida turned out to be one sick bastard."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As students returned to their respected classes, Ren, Ryuji, and Ann were still in the gym. "His heart really did change..." Ann realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Seems like it," Ryuji agreed. "But...was this really for the best?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It has to be," Ren decided. "You saw how other students reacted when he confessed. I wasn't the only one who wanted him dead."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But things're happenin' way too fast..." Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As if on cue, Mishima and two other female students walked over to the group. "Takamaki-san...I'm sorry!" Mishima exclaimed. "We all knew...but we pretended we didn't."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Takamaki-san, I had you all wrong," the taller girl said. "I'm sorry that I spread rumors about you!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I didn't know at all..." the black-haired girl admitted. "Kamoshida was forcefully pushing himself on you... It must've been so hard for you!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sure there's a ton of people who want to apologize to you," the taller girl guessed. "We're so sorry!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, it's okay," Ann reassured. "The same goes for me too... Besides, that's all in the past now."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As a teacher escorted the two girls back to class, Mishima stayed behind. "I can't apologize enough for what I did to you," he told Ren. "Kamoshida threatened to double my 'private lessons' if I didn't leak your criminal record and rumors from your hometown. But the way he talked about those rumors...and his plans to hook you up with Yoshizawa..." He looked hurt. "I swear I'll make it up to you someday, for you and the other gay students he tormented."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was surprised by Mishima's choice of words. "You know...?" he asked in a hushed voice.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone!" Mishima replied. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable." With that, he left the gym.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Looks like Kamoshida ain't the only one that had a change of heart," Ryuji commented. He looked over at Ann. "Man, I'm glad for you. Looks like those rumors about you are gonna go away."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My thing doesn't really matter," Ann dismissed. "We made Kamoshida apologize about Shiho... That's more than enough for me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then let's go tell her," Ren spoke up, recalling Ann's offer. "I want to see how she has recovered."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I remember," Ann recalled. "We can head over to the hospital after school."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Alright," Ren replied. "I'll meet you in the lobby once I'm done with classes."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Back to Normal?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With Kamoshida dealt with, Ren plans on leaving the phantom thief stuff behind and get back to a life of pure normality.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When classes were done for the day, Ren met up with Ann. The two proceeded to walk over to the local hospital. It took a while, but once they got there, they signed in and received visitor passes. Luckily for Ren, Ann had already visited the hospital several times, so she knew exactly which room Shiho was in. When they got there, they were in for a bit of a surprise.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ann...?" Shiho softly muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann let out a gasp with her hand covering her mouth, unable to stop tears from pouring down her face. "Shiho..." she cried. "Y-You're..." A sob escaped her throat, unable to form any proper words.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, don't cry," Shiho reassured. "I'm still here. I survived."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann breathed in deeply. "Sorry..." she apologized as she wiped her eyes dried. "I never thought I would see you again."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Same here," Shiho agreed. She noticed Ren was in the room as well. "Amamiya... You're here too."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wanted to see if you were doing alright," Ren said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I told you, I am," Shiho insisted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not what I meant," Ren clarified. "I was on the roof when you jumped. I tried to help you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shiho looked hurt by those words. "I know..." she sadly admitted. "I heard your voice. But...that day changed everything."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's okay, Shiho," Ann calmly reassured. "I'll be there for you. We'll get through this together."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But Ann, I don't think I can play volleyball anymore," Shiho admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That surprised Ann. "Why?" she asked. "I thought you like the sport. You worked hard to get on the team!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think I know why," Ren spoke up. He gently placed his hand over Shiho's. "It's because of him, isn't it? Every time you think about volleyball, you keep thinking back to that night."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shiho was surprised to hear Ren's words. "How did you know?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because I know how it feels to have your whole life taken away from you so suddenly," Ren confessed. "No matter how much you try to forget, something that traumatic can never leave your mind. That's why you can't go back to playing volleyball again. That monster ruined the sport for you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're right..." Shiho admitted. "And I doubt the other students will forget that. Which is why my mom is planning on transferring me to another school once I recover."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Really?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's for the best," Shiho continued. "As long as Kamoshida is still at the school, I don't think I would be able to survive for much longer."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I understand, but that shouldn't be an issue," Ann reassured. "Kamoshida admitted to his crimes this morning, especially regarding what he did to you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He did?" Shiho asked. She looked relieved. "That's great, but...I'm sorry."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What for?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I found out why I was on the team in the first place," Shiho clarified. "I had no idea you were flirting with Kamoshida for my sake."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No...I should be the one apologizing," Ann corrected. "If I had known he was also targeting you, I could have done something to prevent this." She looked over at Ren. "But I was able to stand up thanks to you. You saved my life."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You don't have to thank me," Ren reassured. "I did encourage you, but you followed through and fought back. You're as much of a hero as me and Ryuji."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...You're right," Ann agreed. "I'm glad I met you, Ren."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After visiting Shiho for a few more minutes, they met up with Ryuji and Morgana at their usual booth at the karaoke bar. They told them about Shiho's recovery and that she was going to transfer schools once she leaves the hospital. So with that whole issue resolved, the team had a brand new one: the gold medal they retrieved from the Palace.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I totally freaked out..." Ryuji said. "He really did have a change of heart..." He grinned. "And we were lucky his mind didn't get messed up either! This was an A+ job!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Does this mean that they won't have a mental shutdown even if their Palace disappears?" Morgana realized. "I see... So we need to persuade the Shadow without killing it, and then send it back to its real self. Our targets won't undergo a cognitive collapse if we do that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we can get 'em to confess with no bad stuff?" Ryuji assumed. "Hey! That works for me!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Do you have to be so loud?" Ann sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Eh, don't worry about it," Ryuji dismissed. "Besides, I was surprised you could hold yourself back against Kamoshida's Shadow."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It wasn't like that," Ann corrected. "I just wanted Kamoshida to apologize himself."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're so kind, Lady Ann," Morgana purred.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No matter how much of a shitbag he was, finishing him off woulda left a bad aftertaste, huh?" Ryuji assumed. He nudged Ren in the shoulder. "Isn't that right, RenRen?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren knew exactly what Ryuji was talking about. "Shut up..." he grumbled. "I wasn't thinking clearly."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But that's not it," Ann clarified. "I think revenge is better served if I make him repent. Realizing what he's done, he'll grovel for forgiveness the rest of his life, you know? I just believe...there are fates worse than death."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A familiar notification beeped, prompting Ren to take out his phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Wow. That's a pretty cold method. And here I thought you were the fiery type.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A-Anyways, that's all settled..." Ryuji said. "But you know, there was one more thing I was wonderin' about that castle. Why was Kamoshida the only one who had that Metaverse thing?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He's not," Ren answered. "After we stole his treasure, I checked to see if Sano had a Palace as well. She did, but it was out of range."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Basically a Palace is something anyone could have if their heart became warped from their desires," Morgana explained. "Wanna check it out?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"N-Not right now," Ryuji answered. "We better lay low for a while. People are still gonna be talkin' about Kamoshida."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We probably don't have to worry about getting caught," Ren hoped. "We're the only ones who know about the Metaverse. Our actions can't be traced back."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, about that..." Ann spoke up. "Weird rumors about you guys are already going around. With Kamoshida having a bruised and swollen nose, people are saying you got together and threatened him with something close to physical violence."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The hell?!" Ryuji panicked.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So his nose was bruised AND swollen? Maybe you shouldn't have punched his Shadow that hard, Mr. Joker.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You think that was my fault?" Ren nervously asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That would make sense," Morgana pointed out. "If a Shadow receives severe damage, the original person would also get injured. That would mean we have to be careful not to attack too hard."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"People aren't going to easily believe that phantom thieves really exist, either," Ann chimed in. "The calling card's being treated like it was a prank by someone who knew what Kamoshida was doing."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Makes sense..." Ryuji agreed with a half-hearted sigh. "We're the ones who did it, and I still don't completely believe it myself."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're right, Ann," Ren added. "Besides, Kamoshida was dealt with. We can finally put this whole mess behind us and get back to being regular high school students."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait, are you serious?!" Morgana exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response. "There's nothing much we can do now," he pointed out. "And unlike you guys, I'm on probation. If I continue to help out in any more illegal activity, the police might do worse things to me. So for now, I would rather focus on my studies and keep a low profile at school."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well...if you say so..." Morgana replied as his ears drooped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji took out his phone. "Anyways, let's check how much this medal can be sold for," he suggested. "It'd be better if we pawned it off ASAP." After a bit of scrolling, he got a hit...which genuinely surprised him. "...Wait, thirty-thousand yen?! That's all a gold medal's worth?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">An idea popped into Ann's head. "Remember that time in middle school?" she asked Ryuji. "I lent you some money."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's no way I borrowed thirty-thousand yen from you!" Ryuji shouted in defense.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wouldn't it be around that much with compounded interest?" Ann teased.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Interest my ass!" Ryuji responded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not saying that I'm taking all of it," Ann explained. "I mean, it's your fault for not paying me back all these years! It’s just common sense!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Dammit..." Ryuji muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">I agree with laying low and keeping an eye on the situation," Morgana said, trying to change topics. "However, you dragged me into this. It would be nonsense not to celebrate a successful mission."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess we could blow this dirty money on something fun," Ryuji agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Discussions among phantom thieves are to take place over luxurious food," Morgana suggested. "How about it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess it's fine," Ann answered. "There's somewhere I want to go then."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Where's that?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's a place Shiho and I have been wanting to go for a while," Ann explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I owe money, so I can't complain..." Ryuji sighed. "You good with that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You want to waste all this money on food?" Ren asked in response. "We should save it instead."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Come on, RenRen!" Ryuji encouraged. "We deserve to live a little!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well if you insist..." Ren muttered slightly, still feeling unsure about this special place Ann had in mind.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll leave it to your discretion as well, Lady Ann," Morgana agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll call and check the prices later then," Ann said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"When should we go?" Ryuji asked. "Wanna do it soon, like tomorrow?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why don't we go on the last day of the holidays?" Ann suggested. "It'll help energize us when school life starts up again the day after."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's Children's Day," Ren recalled. "Sounds like a good time to celebrate."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So, who's going to sell this?" Ann wondered, referring to the medal.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I got this," Ryuji answered. "I'll check to see if I can pawn it off at Untouchable."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That model gun shop?" Ren recalled. "That might be for the best. The shop owner is kind of intimidating..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay, I'll leave that to you," Ann told Ryuji.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That evening, Ren headed over to the bathhouse for his daily nighttime bathing. While he was sitting at the showers washing his hair and body, Morgana sat by the washing machines waiting for him to finish up. As he waited, a text popped up on Ren's phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Is that gold medal real? When did it get inside his Palace...?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, that one is a fake," Morgana explained. "It's just a by-product of his cognition. The real medal should still be in his possession."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Morgana just told me we got a fake medal and Kamoshida still has the real one.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Are you speaking for Ren?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, he's still at the bathhouse. Hopefully he checks his phone about this conversation once he's finished.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So you're telling me Kamoshida's still got the medal?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Who cares? What matters is that we changed his heart. And anyway, if we had taken the real thing, that'd be stealing! I don't think he'll be proud of that medal anymore regardless.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Your thoughts, Zorro-boy?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Kamoshida will never be proud of that once-in-a-lifetime gold medal ever again," Morgana guessed. "Depending on how you look at it, that punishment might be even worse than death for him."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Okay, so he just said Kamoshida's probably going to hate that once-prized medal of his for.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You let go of stuff pretty easy, Ann. Wanna forget about my debt?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That's different. Five-hundred yen is a lot of money for a middle schooler, you know. Do you even still have that dolphin anyway?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">A dolphin, huh? What's that all about?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Back in middle school, we went on a field trip to the aquarium. But Ryuji had to spend all his money on a souvenir, so I lent him some for the train fare.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I said I was sorry... That was for my mom.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Well, I guess I can call it even after all we've been through.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">...Thank you. Anyways, we don't gotta worry about selling that medal off if it's a fake! End of story!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana slightly chuckled at the conversation before looking back at the bathing area. "You sure found yourself an interesting group of friends, Ren," he muttered. "I wonder how you really feel about them..."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"How wonderful."</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"It's about time I added on to my wonderful collection."</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"The Amnesiac Human, the Fallen Runner, and the Unwilling Sex Slave..."</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"What interesting specimens to join the show."</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"It won't be long until my collection grows into a glorious display."</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"After all, what good are these outcasts if society continues to shun the unfavored people of this pitiful country?"</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"Stay tuned, my beloved audience. This will be a show you will never forget."</span> </strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. The Wilton Buffet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren’s old habits kick in when Ann brings him, Morgana, and Ryuji to a fancy hotel.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">For high school students in Japan, Golden Week was a time when they didn't have to go to school. Instead, they would spend this time doing various activities during vacation. Yet for Ren, since there wasn't much he could do at the moment, he decided to spend his Golden Week helping out Sojiro at the cafe. It wasn't much, but he figured he could use extra help during this time.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Ren was washing dishes, he overheard a certain report on the news.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And now to our next topic. Fall from Grace, the story of a dishonored Olympic medalist. Just recently, a high school coach confessed at an assembly that he had been repeatedly abusing students. Given his prior Olympic achievements, this has caused quite a stir. What caused this habitual offender to suddenly confess these heinous crimes to his entire school? The police are hoping that the upcoming interrogation will bring light to this question."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sojiro was surprised to hear the news report. "Hm? Isn't this...?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My friends would come back from practice with bruises all the time... It was scary, but I'm relieved that the abuse is finally going to end now."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He would touch me and stuff all the time... I'm glad I don't have to deal with that sexual harassment anymore..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I never really got involved in the volleyball team, but he kept on trying to hook me up with gay guys."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren froze up. <em>"That voice..."</em> he thought to himself. <em>"It sounded like..."</em></span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sure enough, the TV showed a familiar redhead girl on TV, the one named Kasumi Yoshizawa.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I know it's crazy, but Kamoshida assumed it was my job to 'fix' those students," Kasumi continued. "I felt awful whenever that happened, so I tried to offer them words of encouragement when he wasn't looking. I don't really care about what people in Japan think about gay people. They deserve the same kind of respect straight people have."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Those words made Ren think back to what Kasumi told him back at school.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>
    <span class="s1">"You kind of remind me of someone I know."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Did that mean Kasumi realized Ren is gay when Kamoshida tried to hook them up?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I knew it," Sojiro spoke up, recognizing the students' uniforms. "This is your school, isn't it?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Seems like it," Ren answered, acting innocent.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Things might be getting turbulent at school, but you need to just keep your head down, all right?" Sojiro advised.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course, sir," Ren replied. "I'm busy with my studies, so I didn't really notice that was going on."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">Later on in the day, while Ren was eating some curry for lunch, he received a text from Ryuji.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Did you see?! It was on the news!</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">About Kamoshida? Yeah, I saw it.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">No way the school's gonna be able to play dumb after that.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I saw it too. Shiho's name didn't come up, right?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">No, but I recognized one of the students who was interviewed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I'd bet they wanted to keep the whole thing with Suzui quiet.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I'm so glad...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">So you guys are really done with the whole Metaverse thing?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I am. Once Golden Week is over, it's back to being a normal high school student.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">All we gotta do is stuff our faces and put this Kamoshida crap behind us. I'm totally looking forward to this celebration party.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I'll try not to let you guys down!</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ren had a strange feeling in his gut. The way Ann described the place she had in mind sounded incredibly fancy. And if it's exactly what he thinks this means...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Hey Ann, what's the name of that place you're taking us to?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Huh? Oh, it's Wilton Hotel.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Thanks.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After doing a quick search on Wilton Hotel, Ren's suspicions were correct. From what he saw on the company's official website, it was a high-class establishment similar to the ones his parents brought him to back home. So out of habit, he decided to try and dress for the occasion.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Maybe he could try to piece together a semi-formal outfit from the clothes he brought with him...</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">The day of the celebratory meal finally came. But before meeting up, Ren had to dress for the occasion. While he only packed a single pair of blue jeans and his brown shoes, he was smart enough to pack several shirts and casual jackets. He ultimately decided on wearing his jeans and shoes with his dark grey long-sleeved shirt and his casual black blazer buttoned-up. Yet once he was dressed, he made a quick detour at the cafe bathroom to check his reflection. He was able to sleep better after stealing Kamoshida's treasure (thanks to Takemi's sleeping pills, of course), so there were no visible eyebags or dark circles. The main issue was his hair, but since there wasn't much he could do to fix it, the best he could do was comb it to make it look more presentable.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once Ren was satisfied with his appearance, he left the bathroom and headed for the door. But before he could leave, Sojiro stopped him. "Make sure to do the dishes," he said.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I will when I get back," Ren replied. "Ann's treating us to a meal at Wilton Hotel."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The name of the hotel surprised Sojiro. "How were you able to get reservations to that place?" he wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She received a bonus from her part-time work," Ren answered, deliberately hiding the medal money.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right," Sojiro said. "Just make sure you do the dishes when you get back."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Just like Ren expected, Wilton Hotel was a very classy establishment. As soon as he set foot inside the lobby, he instinctively went into 'stay polite to make his family name look good' mode. He knew his parents were still back home, but he couldn't help it. He used to attend fancy parties in similar settings growing up, so he learned it was important for him to maintain a classy image to represent the Amamiya name.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His friends, on the other hand, were the complete opposite.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Mmmm... So good..." Ryuji moaned with his mouth full.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No wonder Lady Ann chose this place!" Morgana purred.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course it's good," Ann replied. "This is a famous hotel, after all."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then it's a good thing I dressed for the occasion," Ren said. He cut off a piece of his tuna and fed it to Morgana.</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that why you look fancier than usual?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This establishment reminds me of home," Ren explained. "My parents brought me to similar restaurants for family parties. I learned how to behave in this kind of environment as I grew up."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No wonder you're acting completely different than usual," Morgana commented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I heard that the police are coming to interview some people at school," Ann said, changing topics.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's troublesome," Morgana replied.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Our names are gonna come up for sure," Ryuji assumed. "People're spreadin' all sorts of rumors about us and Kamoshida..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What else is new?" Ren sighed, still feeling bad for causing that bruised/swollen nose.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But we got 'em pumped up!" Ryuji continued. "I keep hearin' stuff like, 'the Phantom Thieves of Hearts really stole his heart'! I think most people don't believe it, but some of 'em actually seem grateful." He took out his phone and held it out for the others. "Look at this."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The Phantom Aficionado Website?" Ann read.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's phone beeped, prompting him to take it out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">A website? Let me see it!</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Alright," Ren agreed. He held up his phone so the back camera lens was facing Ryuji's screen.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So Pixie wanted to see it too," Ryuji figured. "Pretty cool, huh?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Hmm... It kind of looks tacky. There's so much red. Whoever created this website has no taste.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She said it looks tacky and she's not happy with the color scheme," Ren reported.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I like what people are saying about us," Ann chimed in. "I was just desperate to deal with my own problems, but seeing them say all this feels...strange."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Even though this is just a one-time thing?" Ren pointed out. He referred to the meal. "We did come here to celebrate taking down Kamoshida, then it's back to being normal high school students."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well of course I'm gonna eat, but..." Ryuji agreed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann gasped. "This place has a time limit!" she realized.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh crap, we only got an hour to eat!" Ryuji panicked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just fifty minutes left!" Ann exclaimed as she checked a nearby clock.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not gonna finish all of the beef dishes at this pace!" Ryuji worried.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I need to eat my way through the entire dessert menu!" Ann decided.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren raised his eyebrow in confusion. "Are you serious?" he asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Look after our stuff!" Ryuji told Ren. "We'll snag somethin' for you guys too, don't worry!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Ryuji and Ann ran over to the buffet tables, Ren looked visibly disgusted seeing them rush around like madmen. He let out a frustrated sigh as he politely resumed eating. <em>"Out of all the people in Tokyo, I just had to befriend two uncivilized people..."</em> he thought to himself, hoping they wouldn't cause a scene.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Reality Check</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Ren realizes he shouldn’t casually flaunt his wealth around.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When Ryuji and Ann returned with more food, Ren couldn't feel any more embarrassed. While they were digging in and stuffing their mouths with food, he politely finished up his tuna, while also sneaking a few more bites for Morgana. He didn't mean to sound rude, but his friends could use some lessons on proper dining etiquette.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Aw man, it melts in my mouth!" Ryuji moaned with his mouth full of meat.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So happy..." Ann sighed as she took a bite out of cake. "Mmm, the Wilton Hotel cake buffet... I'd heard rumors, but I never thought it's be so amazing!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Really, guys?" Ren asked, trying hard to not sound annoyed. "Just meat and cake? Where's the variety?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And where's my share?" Morgana asked, his paws lightly pounding the table.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji swallowed his mouthful before taking another bite of meat. "I didn't really know what you'd want, so I just grabbed you some beans."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"B-Beans?" Morgana repeated.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There were some pretty bizarre things there too, so we got you a variety of those," Ann chimed in. "Fried bananas, preserved eggs, and...some kind of beans."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"M-More beans?!" Morgana exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We put so much on the plate that it got all mixed up, but it should probably still taste good," Ann continued.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Despite those words, Morgana looked at the pile of food in front of him. "This is just plain grotesque..." he complained, noticing the pile mostly looked like a huge lump of beans.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay, that's it," Ren sighed. "I've been acting patient ever since we got here, but you're both pushing it. We're in a fine dining area, not a fast food restaurant. You should really follow my example and try to act more civil." He stood up and picked up a clean plate. "Now if you excuse me, I need to pick a more proper meal."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But at this point, Ryuji and Ann went back to stuffing themselves. "I better come with you," Morgana decided. "I can't stand watching these two pig out, either."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">The buffet tables were delicious, but Ren was smart enough to not go overboard. But with the first stop being the fish dishes, he decided to pick up an extra serving for Morgana. But what kind of fish should he pick up?</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oooh, look! There's the fish!" Morgana purred. "I'd prefer it raw, but grilled is great too!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Have you heard, my dear? The news about that Kamoshida fellow was absolutely dreadful."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah, right. That teacher at Shujin Academy, caught doing such indecent acts. Shameful, really."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Come on, I want fish!" Morgana pleaded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hold on," Ren whispered. He decided to listen in on the conversation between the two women by the fish dishes.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And they still haven't managed to solve those horrible psychotic breakdown episodes, have they? I wish they wouldn't let themselves be distracted by such a tawdry scandal."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Perhaps it's a sign of how peaceful this country is. I honestly pity those poor Shujin students though."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh. It sounds like the Kamoshida incident is the talk of the town," Morgana commented.</span>
</p><p class="p2">At that moment, one of the two women noticed Ren. Despite Morgana telling him to grab some food, he did something else.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, my apologies," Ren spoke. "This is my first time coming to this buffet. I wasn't quite sure what kind of fish I should pick up."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's perfectly fine, dear," the woman replied with a kind smile. "You should try the grilled tuna. It's the restaurant's finest delicacy."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Ren said as he bowed slightly. With that, he picked up two servings of grilled tuna and left the table, but not without hearing more of the conversation.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What a polite young man. It wouldn't be a surprise to see someone like him here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I agree. If only other teenagers would follow his example. I can't stand such hooligans."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wow," Morgana commented. "They didn't have a problem with you listening in on their conversation."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is the kind of environment I grew up in," Ren explained. "If you want people to respect you, you have to dress the part."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's why you switched to a semi-formal look before coming here," Morgana realized. "It might work to our advantage. You could listen in on other people while you get more food and no one would get suspicious."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess so," Ren agreed. "It wouldn't hurt to hear how other people feel about Kamoshida."</span>
</p><p class="p2">The next stop was over at the rice dishes. While Ren was helping himself to some seasoned rice, he overheard the conversation between a fancy girl and a suited man.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So the ratings for the news were really that good? It was because it was about that teacher who sexually harassed his student, huh? Was it Kamoshida?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's all about how you frame it. You've got to cater to the idiotic public. Ratings go up when you show them crude, sensational news, and make it easy for them to understand."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How can he be so insensitive?" Morgana asked in a hushed voice. "A student almost killed herself because of that Kamoshida..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, the fancy girl saw Ren. Noticing she looked like she was around his age, he smiled at her and winked. She blushed slightly and smiled back before continuing with the conversation.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"By the way, do you think these 'sudden changes of heart' might be real?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, that's just a coincidence. It might be possible, but I don't believe it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So because he had a sudden change of heart, he just confessed to all his crimes?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hahaha, who knows?"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">The other tables at the buffet were relatively the same. Two subordinates over at the meat dishes wanted to look more into the change of heart and were convinced Kamoshida should have done his job, while two people who stood by the chocolate fountains didn't really believe in the change of heart itself. Overall, it seemed like a lot of adults didn't care much about Kamoshida. As for Ren, he picked up a small handful of bite-sized steak and chocolate-covered strawberries. But the time he returned to the booth, he noticed Ryuji and Ann weren't quite done with their respected meals.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's it?" Ryuji asked. "You call that a meal?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Yes," Ren answered as he prepared a separate dish for Morgana.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"C'mon, RenRen! Live a little!" Ryuji encouraged. "We can't afford these dishes normally, so we gotta eat as much as we can!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You guys can't, but I probably can," Ren disagreed. "My parents gave me 3,000,000 yen as a bit of pocket change, so I can use some of it to come back here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ryuji and Ann stared at Ren in shock. "What?" the dark-haired teen asked. "Don't you guys carry that much money around with you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"3,000,000 yen is <em>not</em> pocket change!" Ann pointed out. "How wealthy are you?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I remember you saying your parents are influential, but I didn't expect you to be <em>that</em> wealthy!" Ryuji admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Look at you, acting like over a million yen is no big deal," Morgana commented. "Not everyone can afford that kind of money!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As if on cue, a familiar notification beeped from Ren's phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So that probation turned you into a living riches-to-rags story. That's kind of funny. Lol!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ren felt embarrassed. For his whole life, he never really questioned the kind of upbringing he had. As the son of a business executive and the owner of an expensive hair salon chain, he mostly took his wealthy background for granted. He naturally assumed it was normal for teens his age to have that much yen around in case of an emergency.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"W-Well...at least I won't get sick from eating too much food," Ren pointed out, taking note on all the food that had remained untouched.</p><p class="p2">"Then maybe you should help out," Ryuji suggested.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's gaze switched over to the huge lump of beans and swallowed hard. "...Fine," he reluctantly agreed. "But I still want to eat my reasonably-sized portions."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Fifteen minutes later, Morgana, Ryuji, and Ann all had bloated bellies. "W-We did it..." Morgana moaned.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh yeah..." Ryuji agreed, letting out a small burp. "This is a victory...for all of us..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I told you to not to get so much," Ren spoke up, satisfied with eating his smaller plateful of food. "Were you treating this buffet like some kind of game?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not exactly..." Ryuji admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann let out a small groan. "I don't even think I can get one more dish..." she complained. "That was too much cake..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji burped again. "This isn't good," he complained. "I gotta go to the bathroom..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"M-Me too..." Morgana whimpered. "Please...carry me gently..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, a rich couple walked by the booth. "My, look at that table..." the elegant woman commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I feel bad for that young gentleman," the wealthy man said. "I'm sure his servants must not normally have the chance to eat such exquisite food."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can only imagine how embarrassed he is with eating among such pigs," the elegant woman agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What was that?!" Ryuji angrily asked. But before he could respond, he burped once more. "We don't got time for that. C'mon, let's go..."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The reason I made the Amamiyas wealthy is because I wanted to try a different take on Ren's background, with him being the son of two rich and overprotective parents. They care about him to the point where they had to agree with the probation because they were afraid of what might happen to him in prison.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Ren's Final Decision</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Chance encounters at the hotel make Ren realize he might be wrong to return to being a normal student...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It took a while for the two to find a working bathroom. Unfortunately for them, it was on an entirely different floor. So by the time they were done using the bathroom, all that was left was to wait for the elevator to open.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ughh, I'm stuffed..." Morgana groaned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I totally panicked when I saw the 'Closed for Cleaning' sign at the bathroom..." Ryuji admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sorry, weren't you the one who complained about my smaller portions earlier?" Ren recalled with a sly smirk.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sh-Shut up..." Ryuji muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But Ren has a good point," Morgana agreed. "You were talking big about eating until you puked, but you really did puke. Are you some kind of moron?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, same goes for you!" Ryuji pointed out. He checked the floor map. "What floor was that restaurant on?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It was close to the lobby," Ren recalled as he pressed the 'down' button.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, a group of suited men approached the elevator. Without warning, they shoved both Ren and Ryuji aside. It sounded like they were talking about business deals.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's still no update on the case?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"N-Not yet..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Excuse me, but why are you so involved? It's not something you should be concerned with..."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't care about your opinion, you incompetent buffoon! When I say pick up the pace, you do it!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, you're cuttin' in line!" Ryuji shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">One of the suited man looked over at Ryuji. "What do you want?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Worried Ryuji might cause a scene, Ren stepped forward. "Excuse me, but we were here first," he said, hoping these gentlemen were just as respectful as the people down at the buffet.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're in hurry," the suited man explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So are we," Ren responded, trying his best to stay calm. "And if you are in a hurry, you could always take the next elevator after us."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You need to learn your place," the distinguished man spoke up. "The world doesn't revolve around entitled spoiled brats like you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sir, we don't have time for this," the suited man said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I know," the distinguished man agreed.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the men got on the elevator, Ren couldn't stop thinking about the distinguished man's voice. The way he spoke sounded awfully familiar, but he had a hard time remembering where he heard it from. Regardless of that, he was surprised with what he said. Despite his efforts to look more presentable, he was still talked down. No one back home ever treated him like that, yet it still bothered him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The hell was with that bossy guy?!" Ryuji angrily wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shouldn't we head down?" Morgana asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, but that dick really pissed me off!" Ryuji shouted as he pressed the 'down' button. "He wasn't even hidin' the fact that he looks down on everyone!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't lose your temper over this," Morgana nervously advised.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I just can't forgive shitty adults like that!" Ryuji disagreed. At that moment, he noticed Ren's tensed posture. "...You okay, RenRen?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh?" Ren muttered. He took a deep breath and relaxed his posture. "Oh, don't worry about it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's just gonna make me worry more, y'know," Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I bet it's because he rarely eats well," Morgana guessed. "I'm always stuck with canned cat food too..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I do eat well!" Ren defended. "It's just... I don't have a lot of food options here compared to back home."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji let out a frustrated sigh. "That 'sir' bullshit makes me sick!" he exclaimed. He looked over at Ren. "And did you see the way he talked to you?! He acted like you were some kinda stuck-up snob!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When the guys finally returned to their buffet booth, Ann looked annoyed. "What took you so long?!" she asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why're you all pissy?" Ryuji asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry... I had a run-in with some woman a second ago," Ann explained. "She bumped into me, but then said it was my fault when she dropped her plate."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sounds like a real bitch..." Ryuji scoffed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What did this woman look like?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think she was wearing a pink dress," Ann recalled. "Why?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A memory popped into Ren's mind. "I saw her at the fish table," he explained. "I was secretly eavesdropping on her conversation, but she didn't seem bothered when I told her I was having trouble picking out fish. She was very polite to me and suggested what fish I should eat."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That sounds like the complete opposite of what I went through," Ann sadly replied. "The restaurant workers all looked at me with this disapproving expression..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We had trouble earlier too," Ryuji said as he and Ren sat back down. "These selfish shitheads pushed us to use the elevator first. One of them even called RenRen a spoiled brat, but all he did was calmly asked them to let us on first."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wonder if we're out of place here..." Ann sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, something inside Ren changed. Instead of feeling embarrassed for having friends with less class, he started to feel guilty for being associated with such snobs. He didn't want to make Ryuji and Ann feel bad for having a more privileged background. He couldn't let this keep up, so he decided to fix that.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We have to change," Ren spoke up, his voice brimming with confidence. He proceeded to unbutton his blazer and ruffle his own hair, completely discarding his 'rich boy' look. "Not just us, but other people as well. If there are other Palaces out there, we can keep changing hearts just like what we did with Kamoshida."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean...you wanna continue as the phantom thieves?" Ann asked. "What happened to wanting to go back to being a normal high school student?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"To hell with being normal!" Ren dismissed. "I can't ignore injustice!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That outburst surprised Ryuji. "You serious?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Absolutely," Ren answered. "We might have changed Kamoshida's heart, but people outside of school don't care. It doesn't help that there are probably a lot more victims just like the volleyball team. If we left things off without helping them, they might end up like Suzui...or worse."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I agree," Ann replied. "If we ignore people who are in trouble, I'd go back to being the same as I was before..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well...that's true," Morgana agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about you, Ryuji?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I would've continued being a phantom thief even if you wanted to step down," Ryuji admitted. "No way am I gonna back off and let other people suffer!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks Ryuji," Ren said. He took out his phone. "You up for changing more hearts, Pixie?"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Absolutely! Maybe we can free other Shadows from Palace rulers, just like you helped me out.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're under my tutelage," Morgana chimed in. "There's nothing we can't accomplish as phantom thieves!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But...that means there might be tougher Palace owners out there," Ann pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then we'll just have to get stronger," Ren reassured. "As long we stick together and fight through, we can change anyone's heart."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana smiled in satisfaction. "Even if you guys are still just fledglings, this means we're an actual organization now."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fledglings?" Ann repeated. She let out a small laugh. "That's actually pretty fitting for us."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right, it's settled!" Ryuji cheered. "We're gonna catch all these shitty adults by surprise and make ourselves known to the world!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So who's going to be our leader?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wouldn't mind leading," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No objections here!" Ryuji encouraged. "I can't handle all that responsibility stuff."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Where's my say in this?" Morgana complained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What, you have a problem with me as team leader?" Ren asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Kind of," Morgana answered. "Your powers are still unpredictable. What if your Persona stops working mid-battle?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My powers have nothing to do with it," Ren defended. He pushed up his glasses as he smiled. "I'm the one who's coming up with infiltration strategies."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, if you insist..." Morgana sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, should we decide on a name for our group?" Ryuji asked. "I just went with Phantom Thieves of Hearts last time, but don't you think a real name would be cooler?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Actually, I think Phantom Thieves of Hearts is already a cool name," Ren admitted. "We're phantom thieves stealing the hearts and distorted desires of corrupted people. That kind of name is fitting for our thievery."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well now that the name's set, who's our next target?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There are tons of rotten adults and all..." Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But we can't just target any random person," Ren spoke up. "It has to be someone with a high profile, like a celebrity or a CEO. Those people always appear on the news, so if they have a change of heart, it's bound to attract more attention."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not a bad idea," Morgana agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"True," Ann said. "If we become better known, we might be able to give courage to a lot more people. But I don't really like the idea of just picking someone out of the blue, though."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let's narrow it down to someone we can all agree on then," Ryuji suggested.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I couldn't agree more," Ren replied. "There might be some cases where we won't agree on a target. It would be best if we let those people be."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we need a bigwig we decide on unanimously," Morgana recapped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I like that unanimous decision part!" Ann chimed in. "It's like we're making some kind of pact!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now then, this is the official formation of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts!" Morgana declared.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That evening, Ren was in the middle of packing his bag for the bathhouse when he received a text notification on his phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So you guys decided to call yourselves the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. I like the sound of that!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I hope we can really help people.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Same here. I want others to understand they can make a difference in the world too.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm curious about that Phantom Aficionado Website too. I wonder who made it...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">No clue. More importantly, you see the survey on there?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You mean the one asking if they believe in the phantom thieves? It looked pretty low.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I dunno how I feel about it.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, Ren's right. The last time I checked, it was only at like six percent...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">But don't you just wanna get it higher than that?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>Of course. I want more people to know about our cause.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I bet it'll go up tons if we keep taking down big targets.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I think I have a few candidates in mind, but...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">But what?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took a deep breath before replying.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It might be too risky.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">How come?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'll explain more tomorrow if it works.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Well then, let's keep working hard from this point on!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Even though the group chat ended, Ren still didn't put his phone away. Instead he opened up the MetaNav and stared at the screen, a worried look appearing on his face as his finger was hovering above the microphone button.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you okay?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I've been thinking about what happened at the hotel," Ren confessed. "What Ann and Ryuji said about me changed my whole life. What if...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You really think they might be on there?" Morgana guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren didn't respond. "It wouldn't hurt to check," the not-cat reassured.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Taking a deep breath, Ren pressed the microphone button. "Ren Amamiya Sr. and Keiko Amamiya," he spoke.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">Candidates not found.</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Upon hearing those words, Ren's eyes started to tear up as he let out a sigh of relief. "Thank god..." he muttered. "They don't have Palaces..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So those are the names of your parents," Morgana concluded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They believe money can solve everything," Ren recalled. "I thought that belief was distorting their desires."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The app only picks up on people who have strongly distorted desires," Morgana repeated. "So if your parents aren't registered, that means their hearts are still pure."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I know, Morgana," Ren agreed, a soft smile appearing on his face. "I know..."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And with that, the Kamoshida Arc is finally completed! The next chapter starts off the Madarame Arc, so stay tuned!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Everyday Student Life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>You can’t dodge chalk if the teacher doesn’t throw it.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After stopping by the bathhouse for his daily nighttime bathing, Ren was able to sleep well. And why wouldn't he? Things were finally looking better for him. Not only did he have friends who accept him, but they were going to continue changing people's hearts. Best of all, his parents didn't have any distorted desires. Despite his initial struggles, it looked like his life in Tokyo was turning around in his favor.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet as soon as Ren drifted off, he found himself back in the Velvet Room. "First off, I'd like to begin by congratulating you," Igor said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"To think our master would give words of praise..." Justine commented.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"You better treasure this moment!" Caroline demanded.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You have encountered allies who share your ideals, and you have found your place in reality," Igor continued. "The time has come... Your rehabilitation will soon begin."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you even mean by 'rehabilitation'?" Ren wondered. "I don't understand what you have in store for me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Caroline whacked the prison bars with her rod. "Just shut up and listen, Inmate!" she ordered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Calm down, Caroline," Igor instructed. "The trickster has every right to know." He looked back at Ren. "You see, the reason for your weakened state is because your mind has been greatly altered. The purpose of this rehabilitation is to fix that. Only then will your powers be properly restored."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fix me...?" Ren repeated. "I'm...broken?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Very much so," Igor confirmed. "I wish to correct those doubts of yours and mold you into a better version of yourself. Refining your weakened state shall grant you the strength to stand against the coming ruin. That is the rehabilitation cast upon you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what am I supposed to do about that?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There are various means by which you may gain the power to resist the ruin," Igor continued. "Fighting Shadows and gaining experience is one way. Bonding with your Confidants is another. And yet, there is one particular person who has caught your eye. Who might that be?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A flash of brown and maroon appeared in Ren's mind as he blushed slightly. "I don't know..." he admitted. "I only know his name..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We have words of wisdom as well," Justine spoke up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"When you're out in reality, you better hone your relationships with those you have contracts with!" Caroline ordered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Spending time with those people...will lead to the cultivation of your relationships with them," Justine added.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you've got time to waste, you'd better visit your contractors!" Caroline suggested.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks to the contracts you've formed, your heart is steadily gaining the power of opposition," Igor chimed in. "It seems the rehabilitation is going well. This is truly a joyous occasion... May the devotion to your rehabilitation grow ever deeper."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The time has come," Justine said. "Return to your brief moments of rest."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And don't forget to talk to your contractors!" Caroline repeated.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">The next day, on the subway ride to school, Ren overheard a peculiar conversation between two college students.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wish I had money. I'd kill for a real breakfast..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about Big Bang Burger? The one on Central Street is holding a contest right now. The Big Bang Challenge or whatever. If you go at night, you can eat for only 500 yen."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You gotta eat one of their giant burgers though, right? How can anyone actually finish that? Still... 500 yen is a steal."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren smirked. "I do like a challenge..." he muttered as he pushed up his glasses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't even think about it!" Morgana hissed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But I could get some guts if I participate," Ren pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, the wrong kind of guts!" Morgana corrected. "If you want the right kind, go to the gym instead! You need to be fit, not flabby!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At school, homeroom class started off pretty ordinary. "Like you heard last week, gym class is canceled today," Ms. Kawakami informed. "Instead, I'm supposed to give you some guidance. The gist is, don't go around talking about the incident. That's all. The police are still investigating Mr. Kamoshida, so I can't say anything myself. As a teacher though, I'm ashamed for not having noticed that a student was suffering like that... I'm not defending him, but as a colleague, he just seemed like a normal person." She sighed. "Honestly, it still feels real. I guess people can have multiple sides to them..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Multiple sides...?" Ren muttered. Why did hearing that phrase make his head hurt?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh yeah, I just remembered something I learned about psychology," Ms. Kawakami continued. "They say humans have several different personalities hidden in their subconscious. Oh, to be clear, I'm not talking about multiple personality disorder. These different personalities can be a different gender or a different age from you. I mean, if you think about how gods and monsters in myths were first based on the human image, if you actually saw one of those personalities with your own eyes, it might look like a monster."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <strong> <span class="s1">"Just like you."</span> </strong> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren felt a shiver go down in spine upon hearing that voice. It sounded so familiar, but why?</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">During lunch, Ren met up with Ryuji and Ann on the school rooftop. "It ain't much, but we've been gettin' more postings on the Phantom Aficionado Website," Ryuji said as he scrolled through his phone. "'I wanna make my friend apologize for not returning the stuff I lent him'." He groaned. "Deal with that yourself!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I overheard a few girls talking about Kamoshida in the hallway," Ann recalled. "But the way they talked sounded like they don't think his confession was because of the phantom thieves."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's prolly a normal reaction for now," Ryuji dismissed. "But they'll see soon enough!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We should try to find another big name soon or people will start to forget," Ren pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So about those big names..." Ann said. "We don't have any leads yet, right? Plus there's that rumor about you two threatening Kamoshida too..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I didn't know the injuries on his Shadow would transfer to his real self!" Ren nervously blurted out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But there's nothing much you can do about it," Morgana spoke up. "I know you decided to go against it, but you'll have to live a normal, honest school life for the time being. Still, make sure you stay prepared just in case anything comes up, all right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll keep an eye out for info on any big shots that might be comin' around," Ryuji decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And I'll try to dig up some dirt online," Ann chimed in.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But as for stayin' prepared, I'll try to get some new gear at Untouchable," Ryuji added.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're going back to that place?" Morgana asked. "How come?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"O-Oh, uh... For model guns," Ryuji nervously answered. He cleared his throat. "Still... We went and formed the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, but we can't even find a target..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maybe it's for the best," Ren pointed out. "We can't jump from target to target at a fast pace. There might be times when we have to take a break and relax."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">That afternoon, Ren was focusing on Mr. Ushimaru's lessons, prompting Pixie to speak for him during a group texting session.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">The police are really here... I saw 'em at the entrance.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I saw them too! They were talking to the teachers!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That change of heart thing's seriously amazing, huh?!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, but remember what Morgana said. You can't get all excited every time that's brought up. It might cause others to get suspicious.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I hope they don't find out we're responsible...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm pretty sure we'll be fine. There's no proof it was us.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren briefly glanced at his phone and quickly nodded in response before raising his hand. "The Emperor of Japan," he answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's correct, Amamiya," Mr. Ushimaru replied. "According to Article 6 of the Constitution of Japan, the Emperor is in charge of appointing the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Ren seems confident that we won't get caught.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">He sounds sure of himself...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I bet he is. The guy's been acting a bit cocky ever since that trip to the hotel.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">But I mean, haven't rumors been going around about how you guys threatened Kamoshida?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">This world's Kamoshida shouldn't know anything about what actually happened to him though.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Still...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We did what was right. Don't go freaking out over some label.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Aren't you guys already labeled?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Pixie!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">The freak transfer student, the shunned athlete... And I'm not sure what Ann's label is now that Kamoshida is gone.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Okay, that's enough. But you're right about not freaking out, Ryuji.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Man, I can't wait to keep living this double life! All right, RenRen! We're gonna be counting on you!</span></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For those of you who are wondering, it’s implied Ryuji will be handling the Hanged Man Confidant. Ren can’t complete it himself due to his Guts level being at Rank 0 (Chicken).</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. A Secret Stalker?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A huge downside to a silent protagonist is the constant pattern of one-sided conversations in Socials Links/Confidants. So what happens when the silent protagonist in question is no longer silent?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once classes were done for the day, Mishima walked over to Ren. "Hey. Have you seen that Phantom Aficionado Website?" he asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I've heard of it," Ren answered. "Why do you ask?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm the one who started it," Mishima revealed. He leaned closer to Ren and started whispering. "Um... You guys are the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, aren't you?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's eyes widened in surprise. "What?" he muttered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Sorry," Mishima apologized. He stepped back. "Although...if things really are as I think, I should keep it a secret."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That would be the second secret you kept," Ren pointed out, referring to how Mishima also knew he wasn't straight. "But why did you create the website?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Kamoshida used me, and I did some horrible things to you guys," Mishima answered. "This isn't much of a way for me to apologize for it... But if there's anything I can do to help, just let me know!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"That's great," Ren replied.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm glad to hear that," Mishima said with a kind smile. "It's not just Kamoshida... There are tons of evil adults out there. But I'm sure the Phantom Thieves of Hearts will do something... They can't let this end after just one target. That's why I wanted to make a forum where people could post their problems. There are probably a lot of people who high hopes for the phantom thieves' next move. So I've also implemented an anonymous poll on the site."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The one asking if people believe if the phantom thieves?" Ren recalled.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yep," Mishima confirmed. "I wanna work on this forum so eventually it'll be packed with tons of supportive posts. I'd really like to help out in the phantom thieves' acts of justice! Can I, please?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ren answered. "It sounds like you're having fun doing this."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Yeah, I am," Mishima replied. Given his cheerful smile, Ren could sense abundantly high expectations from him. "Well anyway, I'm gonna try to do the best I can. You do the same." With that, he left the classroom.</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p2">A while later, Ren met up with Ryuji and Ann near the school entrance. Ren had finished explaining that Mishima was the one who created the Phantom Aficionado Website. Naturally the two weren't all that surprised with the reveal.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that forum is Mishima-kun's..." Ann commented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's not just that," Ren added. "He also figured out our identities."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Even so, I think it'll be fine," Ann assumed. "He seems to be playing it cool."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess we should have a little chat about this later," Ryuji suggested.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I will say though... A forum where people can post problems may prove unexpectedly useful," Morgana chimed in.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Anyways, we gotta get lookin' for a new target," Ryuji said.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And we need to stay sharp until we manage to find one," Ann agreed. "Once we do, we'll have to head into another Palace, so we should prep our equipment and-"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Study for an upcoming exam?" Ren interrupted.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh?" Ryuji muttered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren sighed as he pushed up his glasses. "Did you guys forget about it?" he clarified. "That's why I have been studying during my spare time."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realization dawned on Ryuji. "Oh CRAP!" he panicked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"...Judging by that reaction, I'd assume you're going to struggle this time too?" Ann guessed.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's not like you're any better!" Ryuji pointed out. "All you're good at is English!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'd rather that than be bad at every subject!" Ann shouted.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Even your Japanese is questionable at best, Ryuji," Morgana chimed in.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What if I help you both study?" Ren offered. "I already study regularly, so I'm pretty confidant I'll pass."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks, man," Ryuji said, sighing in relief. "But I'll have to pass for today. I need to stop by Untouchable for some...important stuff."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"What's more important than our exams?" Ann wondered.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... I can't really explain right now," Ryuji nervously admitted. He took a few steps back. "But it'll all be worth it when we get stronger weapons!" He left the school without another word.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren looked over at Ann. "I guess it's just us," he realized. "Do you want to study back in LeBlanc?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ann answered. "It might take my mind off..." Her voice trailed off as she nervously glanced around.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is something bothering you?" Ren asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It felt like someone was watching me this morning..." Ann confessed. "After what Kamoshida did to me, I feel nervous if someone might be following me."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Ren reassured as he gently held her hand. "Now come on. Let's head over to LeBlanc."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet as the two teens left the school, there was a tall and slender boy nearby. His gaze was strongly fixated on Ann as the two left. He took a deep breath as he fiddled with a lock of his dark blue hair.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She's perfect..." the boy muttered, speaking in a deep voice. "Such magnificent beauty..."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">A while later, Ren brought Ann over to LeBlanc. After introducing her to Sojiro, the two began their study session. As for Morgana, he decided to walk around town while the other two studied together. Or rather, Ann studied while sitting by the counter. With Sojiro leaving early, Ren offered to take over cafe duties, all while quizzing Ann as he worked.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After a few minutes of going over math questions, Ann changed topics. "Hey, um... There's something I want to talk to you about, Ren," she spoke up.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is it about that supposed stalker you mentioned earlier?" Ren asked while he washed dishes and mugs.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, it's about Shiho," Ann clarified. "I was thinking about what she said when we visited her, about how she was sorry for not telling me about Kamoshida...and about all the things he was doing to her... But it was my fault too. I didn't realize how much trouble she was in... I wasn't there for her..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But she was able to survive after all that," Ren pointed out. "She's a strong girl."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann let out a small giggle. "Isn't she?" she asked. "Shiho really is a great girl. I'm glad I finally got to tell her everything I couldn't bring myself to say before." She paused. "And, um... Remember how Kamoshida threatened to take Shiho off the team if I didn't sleep with him?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All too well," Ren answered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I had only agreed to it so that I wouldn't ruin Shiho's dreams..." Ann continued. "But now that I think about it, he never would have put her on the bench and cost his team games... I seriously should have dared him to try and take her starting spot." She sighed. "...But in the end, maybe I just didn't believe in her ability."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">At that moment, Ren surprised Ann with a hot cup of coffee. "It's not your fault," he reassured. "This is all Kamoshida's fault. He's the reason why Suzui is too scared to pick up a volleyball now. He ruined the sport for her, and possibly her whole future. But what's important is that she survived and she's free to make her own choices."</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess your right..." Ann halfheartedly agreed. She picked up the coffee mug and took a sip. "Mmm... This is a good cup of coffee. Did you make it yourself?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I sure did," Ren confirmed. "It's a Blue Mountain brew with a teaspoon of cream. I figured you could use something sweet to drink while you study."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks," Ann replied. She took another sip. "Do you remember the last time I talked to you like this?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"We were at Big Bang Burger," Ren recalled. "We confined in our past experiences with sexual assault."</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I felt so alone after that phone call..." Ann admitted. "Scared, even... But because you were there for me, I decided not to go. I was a little surprised at how pushy you were about it...but I see now you just wanted to help. Thanks."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I couldn't just ignore you," Ren replied. "You were in distress, so I had to help you out."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're so kind," Ann commented. "Even after everything that happened to you, your smile never leaves your face. How are you able to stay strong all this time?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I kind of learned to endure jeers growing up," Ren answered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wish it was that easy for me," Ann sighed. "Back then, people used to call me all sorts of names... I got tired of it pretty quickly. But to tell you the truth, someday I want to be able to take labels like that in stride."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We could always do some training," Ren offered. "I've been training with Ryuji after school. You're welcomed to join us."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks, but I was thinking about about something else," Ann replied. "Personas are the power of the heart, right? That means if my heart gets stronger, my Persona will too. So...I want to strengthen my heart. And I want to use that strength to help the people around me. I hope we can save people from trouble, just like we did when we changed Kamoshida's heart. Though honestly...I don't even know what 'strong is'."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what you're saying is, you want to do some spiritual training," Ren assumed. "I can even help you out with it."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Really?" Ann asked. "Thanks! I feel like I'm a little stronger already!" She giggled. "I guess that doesn't really count though, huh?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren chuckled in response. "Probably not."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well...I'll be relying on you," Ann encouraged. "Let's train together and make our hearts super strong!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Alright, enough talk," Ren said. "You need to memorize long division."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh right..." Ann sheepishly realized, remember that she came to LeBlanc for a study session. "I forgot about that..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren chuckled again as he proceeded to clean the counter. He was looking forward to doing spiritual training with Ann.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. A New Strategy?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With Kamoshida’s Palace gone, what’s left for the Phantom Thieves of Hearts to do?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day started off like any other, with one minor difference. After completely his morning push-ups, Ren cooled down with a delicious cup of coffee. It wasn't much, but having something to drink after his usual workout felt quite refreshing. Plus doing so allowed him to be more alert during the day.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After getting dressed for school and boarding the subway, Ren and Morgana listened to a few news reports.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shujin Academy claims to have left teaching methods up to its staff. It had denied once again that it had any knowledge of the beatings."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Be careful of an upcoming pollen warning next week. There is a greater volume arriving later than in previous years."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Experience art in Shibuya! The Madarame exhibit opens next week."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"People are really talking about the Kamoshida incident," Morgana commented. He smirked. "But no one in this car knows that we're the ones who did it..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren, on the other hand, was focused on something else. "Madarame..." he muttered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You okay, Ren?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I heard that name when I was still in elementary school," Ren explained. "My parents got back from an auction saying they won a 'Madarame original'. It was a painting depicting a hand holding a large sapphire jewel."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So your parents are fans of his work?" Morgana guessed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My mom is the bigger fan," Ren clarified. "She's a huge fan of art overall, but Madarame is one of her favorite artists."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">After school, the team decided to meet up at their usual hideout to discuss their next target. But as soon as they left the school entrance, they were stopped by a girl with shoulder-length brown hair. She wore a Shujin school uniform, but without the blazer, and she looked rather dignified. Ryuji and Ann froze up and looked concern, much to Ren's confusion. Who was this girl?</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's Miss Council President want with us?" Ryuji demanded.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The dignified student eyed the group. "The troublemaker, the center of gossip, and the so-called 'weird' transfer student," she commented. "Hmm, interesting combination."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann scoffed. "Great way to start a conversation..." she muttered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"By the way... It seems as though you got to know Mr. Kamoshida pretty well," the dignified student continued, speaking directly to Ren.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't you remember the volleyball rally?" Ren asked, sensing hostility from this girl. "He smacked me in the face with a volleyball."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I do remember," the dignified student responded. "You rattled him with a death glare. I also heard Mr. Kamoshida used a volleyball team member to spread details of your past record and the rumors from your previous high school. Don't you hate him? Mr. Kamoshida, I mean."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily Ryuji stepped in. "What's all this about?" he angrily asked. "My friend here's an upstanding guy!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't mean to offend," the dignified student explained. "Many students have been shaken up by what happened with Mr. Kamoshida. The rumors about that odd, calling card-esque posting aren't going away either."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I didn't expect someone like you would care about that tactless stuff," Ann chimed in.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I dunno that it was tactless..." Ryuji muttered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So are you done interrogating us?" Ren asked. "We're just heading over to the local karaoke bar."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that all?" the dignified student questioned. "I'm sorry to have interrupted you." With that, she headed back into school.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What was that about?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sounds like you two already know her," Ren commented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's Makoto Nijima," Ryuji spat out. "She's our senior and the student council president. I dunno why she's nosy, but she's got no right pushing herself into other people's business. She really pisses me off!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She seems rather sharp," Morgana commented. "We should be cautious of her."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't you think she's kind of intimidating?" Ren asked as he pushed up his glasses.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She is," Ann confirmed. "Everyone knows not to cross her path. She's quiet, but she's serious about school rules."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Once she targets you, you're practically screwed," Ryuji added. He let out a frustrated sigh. "Talk about a pain in the ass..."</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that set aside, the team headed over to the karaoke bar. Yet on the way there, Ren couldn't help but think about the student council president. Ryuji said her last name was 'Nijima'. Wasn't that the same name as that woman who visited LeBlanc the other day...?</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">At the karaoke bar, the team discussed who they should target next. At the moment, Ren, Ryuji, and Ann all had their phones out, scrolling through the phantom thieves website for any suggestions.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"None of these posts are any good!" Ryuji complained. "Everyone's just bitchin' about their parents or their boyfriends!" He groaned. "There ain't even a hint of a hint about a new Palace..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We can't get everything online..." Ann pointed out. "Finding a post with a name and location is asking a lot..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ren noticed a particular anonymous post online.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">My son hasn't been acting like himself for years. He can't seem to smile normally and he's more withdrawn at school. Please talk to him so he can go back to being his normal, happy self.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's up?" Ryuji asked, noticing Ren's focused expression. "You found one?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, I..." Ren stammered. He panicky scrolled up, past that post. "I-It was just some junk post..." He swallowed. "But if we can't find anything online, we should find a target ourselves."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you seriously suggesting we look for a target that even the police have overlooked?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Yeah, you're right," Ryuji sighed. "We should prolly just hold off 'til exams are done with, huh? We can wait and see for a little longer, then worry about comin' up empty-handed if it happens."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Studying won't be so bad if we just think of it as helping us prepare to be phantom thieves," Ann suggested.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you guys are finally realizing how important studying for exams is?" Ren asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, but it's just so lame..." Ryuji complained. "I was all fired up about helpin' people, not about studyin'..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, I do have somewhere interesting to show you beforehand," Morgana purred. "You guys did originally promise to help me out with my mission, after all." He hopped out of Ren's bag and onto the floor. "Follow me."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, Morgana brought the three teens over to the Shibuya Station entrance. "What're you bringin' us here for?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just do as I told you," Morgana replied.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I opened up the Phantom Aficionado Website," Ren reported as Ryuji and Ann did the same. "What's the next step?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Look for a post with a full name in it," Morgana instructed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I already said there's no info on any big shots," Ryuji repeated. "Don't you remember? But man, people actually go put someone's real name real name on here. That's some scary shit..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"'Won't listen to what I say'..." Ann read. "No wait, there's no name on this one."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"'Someone's bad-mouthin' me in online chat rooms'..." Ryuji read. "This one's got a name."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ignore those," Morgana dismissed. "Aren't there any posts about more serious trouble?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As if on cue, Ren found a particular post. "I think I got one," he said. "'I don't know what to do about my ex who's stalking me. His name is Natsuhiko Nakanohara.' It also talks about how he works at city hall as a bank teller."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A government worker's stalkin' someone?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That should be a suitable target," Morgana spoke up. "All right, now get the Meta-Nav ready."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay," Ren replied as he switched to the navigation app. "But shouldn't we do more research about his Palace first?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't mind," Ryuji said. "Jumpin' right into a Palace is fine by me."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey! What happened to all that talk of 'unanimous decision'?" Ann recalled.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But Ann, Morgana might be on to something," Ren pointed out. "We need to hear what he has to say."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, if you say so..." Ann reluctantly agreed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We need a name and a place, right?" Ryuji checked. "So the name is..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Actually, we don't need a location this time," Morgana spoke up. He looked over at Ren. "Just enter exactly what I say. The keyword is...Mementos."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh? What're you tryin' to pull?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just listen to me," Morgana insisted as he nudged Ren. "It should work... I think."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren typed 'Mementos' into the Meta-Nav. "Okay, I typed it in," he said. "Now what?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">
    <b>Candidate found.</b>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">We got a hit?!" Ryuji exclaimed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just as I thought!" Morgana cheered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, the app proceeded to transport the team into the Metaverse. Yet as soon as they left, a tall teen with dark blue hair walked by. He paused for a few seconds to look back at where the group once stood, but he shrugged it off.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How strange..." the teen muttered as he continued walking. "I could have sworn I saw her standing in this area..."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Mementos</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Morgana shows his friends how they can change the hearts of individual people.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Despite being seemingly transported into the Metaverse, nothing much had changed. The only difference was that the crowded streets were suddenly empty. Everything else seemed perfectly normal, not a single distortion in sight.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It...kind of feels like I'm...walking on air?" Ann commented.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Is this that Nakanohara guy's Palace?" Ryuji wondered.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's half-right, but half-wrong," Morgana answered. "This is a type of Palace, but it's different from the normal ones. Come on, let's head down. The Shadows here lurk underground. I don't quite understand why. It may be because they're drawn to something."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we need to head underground..." Ren muttered. He looked at the staircase entrance. "Guess this means we're taking the trains."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Correct," Morgana confirmed. "Follow me!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">As soon as Morgana brought the team further down into the subway, there was a drastic change of scenery. The entire room turned dark and red vines covered the steps. There was also a feeling of great unease surrounding the area.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The hell is this place?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, a flash of light came from Ren's phone. When it died down, Pixie was hovering next to the team. "Don't worry, I heard what you all said," she reassured. "We're tracking down some stalker guy, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pixie?" Ren asked. "Then that means..." He looked at his glove-covered hand while Ryuji and Ann realized what just happened.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Our clothes changed?!" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The Shadows know we're here?!" Ann assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Since the moment we stepped in," Morgana answered, now in his chibi cat form.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You should've told us!" Ryuji shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're still safe right here," Morgana reassured. "I've come to investigate a number of times. Shadows never come up to this floor. But it's a different story once you go down. This place is simply teeming with them."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie shivered as she looked around. "I can tell," she replied. "Somehow I can sense other Shadows in this place. They don't feel as comforting as the ones back in Kamoshida's Palace."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what is this Mementos?" Ann asked Morgana. "It's about time you started explaining."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Mementos is...everyone's Palace," Morgana revealed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How can everyone share a single Palace?" Ren questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A Palace as grand as the previous castle only forms when a person's wishes are extremely distorted," Morgana clarified. "So instead of many individual Palaces, the general public has one gigantic shared Palace. That's where we are now... Mementos."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now that you mention it, this place feels a bit different from Kamoshida's Palace..." Ann commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"When you say 'shared', you mean they're all put together?" Ryuji wondered. "Even though they're just strangers?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Think of it as the collective unconscious," Morgana answered. Then he realized who he was talking to. "No, never mind. You wouldn't understand that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think I do," Ren spoke up. "If we come here, we change change the hearts of people who don't have Palaces."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Correct!" Morgana purred. "The steps to do so are slightly different though."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But this place looks pretty huge," Ryuji pointed out. "Are we gonna be able to get around just by walkin'?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana chuckled as he stepped in front of his friends. "It seems the time has finally come..." he said.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Morgana! Ready! Transfoooooorm!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With a happy meow, the not-cat leaped into the air and poofed into...well... Something that also wasn't a cat.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A car?!" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What in the hell?!" Ryuji exclaimed. "No way!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Come now, Panther," Morgana encouraged. "Ladies first."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It took Ren a few seconds to finally speak up. "H-How did you do that...?" he wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"This comes from the way cognition materializes in the Metaverse, plus a bit of extra training," Morgana explained. "It's not dissimilar to how you guys transform."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Extra training?" Pixie asked. "You must teach me that! It's exhausting to keep flying if you guys are running around all the time."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So why a car?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"For some reason, cats turning into buses is an extremely widespread cognition among the general public," Morgana answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why a bus though?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...No idea," Morgana admitted with a slight hop.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait, why didn't you do this at the castle?!" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I would have if I could!" Morgana exclaimed. "But that castle was cramped, there were tons of stairs, and no way this fits on top of a chandelier!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the team sort of satisfied with their questions, they all got in Morgana. There was a bit of a struggle due to Ann pushing Ryuji aside and the not-cat feeling what's going on inside him. As for Pixie, she decided to sit on Ren's lap due to her small size. Once everyone was seated, it was time to explore Mementos.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All aboard!" Ryuji cheered. "Let's go!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">...</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why are you all just sitting back there?" Morgana asked, his voice coming out of the radio. "I'm a car, remember? I'm not going anywhere unless someone drives me!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You can't drive yourself?!" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann looked over at Ren. "...Do you know how to drive?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's eyes widened in surprise. "Not r-really..." he stammered as he tugged on his glove. "I don't have a license..."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"That's a bit worrying, but I'll let you handle it," Ann decided.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?!" Ren yelped. "Why me?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's a reason why I don't have my license either..." Ann nervously answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Me neither," Ryuji agreed. "I lost track of how many times I crashed during driving tests."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fine..." Ren sighed as he got out of the car, prompting Pixie to fly off his lap.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now start the engine!" Morgana urged. "You can't drive if it's not running!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah, geez. What a pain," Ryuji complained as Ren got in the driver's seat.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Where's the key?" Ren asked as he tried to search for one.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why would you need a key?!" Morgana asked in response. "There's a switch just down next to the steering wheel."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is this it?" Ren checked as he felt around the steering wheel.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That tickles!" Morgana laughed. "Lower, lower!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Eventually Ren found a switch and he flipped it on, causing a loud purring sound to come from the engine. "Uh... Is that purrin' I hear?" Ryuji realized. "Oh, what a creepy-ass car..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't underestimate my meowtary engine," Morgana bragged. "We're going full throttle! It's time to fly!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">And so, the team proceeded to head down into Mementos. With Ren behind the wheel, they faced off against a few random Shadows who tried to attack Morgana. However, unlike the Shadows from Kamoshida's Palace, these particular ones were noticeably weaker. Of course, some of those Shadows were exact replicas of Pixie, much to the healer Shadow's dismay, but she quickly dismissed the similarities as 'all Shadows look alike' and focused on healing her friends between battles.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Eventually the team came across a distorted red vortex. Upon entering it, they saw a man just standing around, surrounded by a pitch black aura. "Hey, something's there!" Ryuji commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It must be the stalker mentioned on the website," Ren guessed, readying his knife. "We must stay alert. Who knows what might happen if we talk to him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good call, Joker," Morgana agreed. And with that, the team approached their first Mementos target.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who are you?!" Nakanohara demanded as he turned to face the phantom thieves.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you that stalker?!" Ann asked in response. "Haven't you ever stopped to consider how your ex feels?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She's my property!" Nakanohara shouted. "I can do whatever I want with her! It's not like she didn't treat me like a plaything! What's wrong with me doing the same?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sensing hostility, Ren aimed his gun at Nakanohara. "Natsuhiko Nakanohara, we are the Phantom Thieves of Hearts," he said. "We order you to return to your real self and make amends for your past crimes. If you leave now, we can settle this without any bloodshed."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, you can't treat someone like shit just 'cause they did it to you!" Ryuji agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Nakanohara started twitching as a red aura swirled around him. "There are millions of people far worse than me!" he growled. "What about Madarame?! He stole everything from me, but you're letting him off the hook?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Upon hearing that, Ren's eyes widened as he let out a surprised gasp. "Did you say...Madarame?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji, on the other hand, completely dismissed the name. "The hell's this guy goin' on about?" he wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Instead of properly responding, Nakanohara transformed into a small imp-like creature. <strong>"Now that I finally have what's rightfully mine, I'm not going to let you take it away!"</strong> he snarled, now wielding a large rubber mallet. <strong>"Look, this is a winner-takes-all world! Come fight me and I'll show you what I mean!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed was a brutal battle. With his mallet in hand, he swung it right at Morgana, causing severe damage. Worse, with the not-cat unable to battle, he had to sit back and let the others take care of this particular Shadow. Unfortunately, it wasn't as easy as Kamoshida. In fact, it only took several minutes for Morgana to realize what the Shadows weaknesses were.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He's weak to electricity, but physical attacks won't work," Morgana reported. "Think you can handle things, Skull?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not a problem," Ryuji replied. He tore off his mask. "Whip 'em, Captain Kidd!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">But even with Nakanohara having a weakness to electrical attacks, it still dealt very little damage. Yet while Ryuji and Ann were struggling to keep up, Ren realized what he had that was critical to the team: his brains. Looking around the area, he carefully thought about what could or couldn't work. With those ideas in mind, he was able to strategize a good battle plan for this pesky hammer-wielding Shadow.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Panther, use your whip to tie him up!" Ren ordered. "Skull, you're on offense with me!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The rest of the battle went along smoothly. While Ann initially had trouble tying up Nakanohara, she decided to use Carmen to put him to sleep. Once he was out, Ryuji brought out Captain Kidd while Ren switched between his knife and gun. But as he fought, the dark-haired teen noticed his thief attire was flickering a lot. He mostly focused on keeping it intact, not wanting an abrupt costume switch mid-battle.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Eventually Nakanohara was defeated, prompting him to change back into his previous human form. "I-I'm sorry..." he muttered. "Please forgive me... I couldn't stop obsessing... N-Not after this person I trusted used me and then disposed of me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean Madarame?" Ren recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Nakanohara nodded in response. "I was afraid of being thrown away again like some worthless thing," he continued.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"So some selfish bastard was making you suffer too..." Ann realized. "Still, you shouldn't have dragged an unrelated woman into your mess."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, I know that now," Nakanohara admitted. "I'll put an end to my love for her..." Then an idea popped into his head. "...Hey, you can change people's hearts, right? In that case, won't you change Madarame's heart? Before more people fall victim to him?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What are you even talking about?" Ren demanded. But before Nakanohara could explain, he vanished, leaving behind a glowing pearl.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's that shinin' thing?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's the bud of a treasure," Morgana answered as Ren picked it up. "Had we left it be, it very well may have blossomed into a Palace."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So Nakanohara had a change of heart, right?" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Most likely," Morgana guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then how can we confirm it?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Well...the lady posted the dude's name only," Ryuji recalled. "If he really does change, she'll prolly comment again."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hm, you do have a point," Morgana agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Either way, trainin' against Shadows down here's the best!" Ryuji cheered. "It's great prep for our next target!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's also nice to be able to give courage to the people who post their problems online," Ann added.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"On top of that, we can sell whatever treasure we get for some cold, hard cash!" Morgana purred.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, but don't push yourselves too much!" Pixie exclaimed, still using her healing magic on Morgana. "I can only heal you guys a bit at a time, so remember to take breaks!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry about that, Pixie," Morgana apologized. "I didn't expect that mallet to pack a huge punch."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"So now that Nakanohara was dealt with, we should head back before we attract unwanted attention," Ren suggested.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hold on, Joker," Morgana spoke up. "There's somewhere I want to show you guys before we leave."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What, there's more?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Don't worry, it won't take long," Morgana reassured.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Flower-Picking Fun</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With Nakanohara’s Shadow defeated, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts head back to the real world...but not without meeting an unexpected visitor.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The rest of the exploration was rather easy, even if the route was confusing. According to Morgana, Mementos's layout changes every time someone enters, so a map would have been useless. Fortunately, the not-cat could instinctively sense which way to go, so he was able to act as a living GPS for the team.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At one point, they noticed there were trains still active in this shared Palace. According to Morgana, this was probably because the public viewed Mementos as the subway that it also was in the real world. Naturally Ryuji was quick to panic, fearing there was a risk of them getting hit by a train, but Morgana reassured they just had to stay off any active tracks and they should be fine.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After a few more minutes of exploring, the team found themselves at a dead end. "All right, there it is!" Morgana revealed, pointing straight ahead. "The thing I want to make sure of is inside!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...What is this place?" Ann asked as she and the others approached a dark red wall. "It's kinda creepy."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And a dead end at that," Ryuji chimed in. "Why's it even exist?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now hold on..." Morgana insisted. "Just watch. This is most likely not an ordinary wall. If my hunch is correct..." He walked over to the wall and gently tapped it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, the ground trembled as the wall opened up, revealing another passageway into a deeper area. As soon as it was fully revealed, a voice came from Ren's phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <b>A new area has been confirmed in the depths. Updating guidance information.</b> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"See? It's just as I thought!" Morgana cheered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you mean?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That wall wouldn't budge when I came here by myself before," Morgana explained. "But it'd be weird for the deepest part of Mementos to be some normal place like this, wouldn't it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you're thinkin' there's gotta be more?" Ryuji assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, I get it!" Pixie realized. "This wall opened up because we took down that stalker, wasn't it?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Not quite," Morgana corrected. "Now that Kamoshida's Palace is gone and people are actually starting to talk about us, I knew something had to have changed down here."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then maybe we should keep exploring," Ren suggested. "There might more Shadows down their who need changes of heart."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let's not," Morgana disagreed. "That's not why we're here today, remember? We're already accomplished our goal. We should head back and I'll explain more once we're home."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">But once the team returned to the entrance of Mementos, they were greeted with unusual sight. There was a small boy dressed in white next to a cyan card, which had golden balloons tied to it. Various yellow and white flowers hovered in front of him in a large bubble, but as soon as he touched it, the flowers transformed into a fruit drink.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maybe it's this one..." the boy wondered aloud. He took a sip of the drink. "Ooh! Tasty!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The team walked over to the boy. "Hey, what's he drinkin'?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Upon hearing Ryuji's voice, the boy realized he had company. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "Hmm... I thought I felt something strange for a second... So, who're you guys?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're the Phantom Thieves of Heart, but we should be asking you the same," Ren replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good point," the boy agreed. "Sorry about that. It's customary for a human to introduce itself before asking another human for its name. Thanks for reminding me, Mister..." He looked up at Ren and gasped. "You're Mister Amamiya!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... Who?" Ren nervously asked, remembering Morgana's warning about using his real name in a Palace.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You can't fool me," the boy said as he shook his head. "Master told me about how someday, I would meet a male human with dark curls and a deep voice named Ren Amamiya Jr.. Your black hair is curly and your voice sounds deep, so that must be you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's awfully specific..." Morgana commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The boy turned to face Morgana. "It is, Misterrrr... um, Tanuki?" he guessed. "No, um... Hmmm... Cat?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What took so long to come up with 'cat'?!" Morgana demanded. "And I'm not either of those!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, uh, gettin' confused about that seems pretty normal to me," Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My name is Jose," the boy said, introducing himself. "I'm looking for flowers. I'm actually surprised to see some normal humans running around. I didn't know people could just come here. But if you came with Mister Amamiya, then it shouldn't really come as a surprise."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, we are pretty special-" Morgana started to say. "W-Wait, that's not important! Who YOU are is what matters right now!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You said you were looking for flowers," Ren recalled. "Were you talking about the ones in the bubble a while ago?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's right, Mister Amamiya," Jose confirmed. "Those seem to be the ones I've been looking for. I'm collecting as many of 'em as I can 'cause I'm studying humans."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that why you turned a bunch of flowers into a drink?" Pixie guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yup," Jose answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Drinkin' flower juice counts as studying?" Ryuji muttered, still confused.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, could you guys help me with my research?" Jose suddenly asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How?" Ann asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"By collecting flowers for me," Jose explained. "I wouldn't ask you to do it for free, though. I find all kinds of stuff you can use while you're exploring. I'll trade you some of that stuff for more flowers."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whaddya think?" Ryuji asked. "Should we try an' give him some flowers?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"It might be beneficial to have him as an ally," Ren pondered. "For both him and us."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But we don't know this kid..." Morgana pointed out. "We gotta be careful."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't care," Pixie dismissed. "What if he has access to healing items? That could save me the trouble of having to use my magic all the time."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pixie's right," Ann agreed. "It seems like he could use a hand, and it shouldn't be too hard to pick flowers while we're exploring, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess it's prolly fine," Ryuji said. "I mean, he said he'd give us useful stuff an' all?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you're going to help me find the flowers?" Jose asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll help," Ren decided. "Who knows? Maybe we can end up helping each other through this deal."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Thanks!" Jose replied.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait! WAIT!" Morgana cried out as he jumped in annoyance. "Hang on a second, Joker! We still have no idea who this kid is!" He angrily glared at Jose. "Don't go thankin' us just yet, bud!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Aw... Are you tired, kitty?" Jose asked. "You seem grumpy."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I am NOT a cat!" Morgana hissed. "And I'm NOT grumpy!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"O-Oh, okay..." Jose stammered. "Then, are you hungry? I learned hunger can make a person turn grumpy." He took out a cookie. "Here, you can have this."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks, but I'll pass..." Morgana grumbled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't mind Morgana," Pixie told Jose. "We just met you, so he's a bit wary about new faces."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Really?" Jose asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I should know," Pixie continued. "He aimed a slingshot at me when we first met."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Those were entirely different circumstances!" Morgana shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you for your help, Mister Amamiya," Jose said as he got in the cyan car. "I'll be looking for flowers around here, so stop by and say hi if you see me. Oh, and I guess just gathering flowers would be kind of boring, huh? Since you humans seem to enjoy playing so much, I'll come up with some fun games for you. Oh, but before I go, there's something I've been meaning to give to all of you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What would that be?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">In response to the question, Jose took out a glowing blue-green star. "I picked this up while I was exploring earlier," he explained. "It's a star. At least, that's what they look like, so that's what I call them."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A star?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Um... So, what about it did you want to show us?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Humans make wishes on stars, right?" Jose checked. "That's so interesting. Stars granting wishes... So this star is going to grant your wishes."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Really?" Ren asked in awe. "<em>All</em> of our wishes?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Or, it would be nice to think that," Jose added.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nice to think that..." Morgana echoed as his ears drooped. "Seriously..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll give this to you, Mister Amamiya," Jose decided, holding out the star towards Ren. "It's so sparkly and beautiful. You want it too, don't you? It's a sign of our friendship. I know what that is."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren carefully walked over to the car and accepted the star. "Thanks...I guess," he said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're quite welcome," Jose happily replied. "Ah, I also remembered something humans like to say to each other. Good job!" And with that, he drove off into Mementos.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who in the hell was that?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Beats me," Pixie replied with a shrug. "I just hope he provides us with extra healing supplies."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If he's studying humans, does that mean he isn't one?" Ann realized. "I mean, he just seemed like some nice kid."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well he didn't feel like a Shadow..." Morgana reported. "I wouldn't say he's dangerous... At least, for now..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So this Jose person wants us to find flowers in Mementos for him..." Ren spoke up, carefully examining the star. "Seems simple enough. But I'm not sure what to think about this star..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He said it's grant wishes or somethin'..." Ryuji recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I highly doubt something like that would actually happen, even in Mementos..." Morgana dismissed. "Well, I guess you can at least try making a wish."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Ann and Ryuji proceeded to make food-related wishes come true, Ren held the star close and silently made his wish. He didn't say it out loud, but he repeated a single phrase in his mind: to be accepted by all of Japan. While he was glad he finally met true friends who didn't mind his sexuality preferences, there were still people who still shunned him. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't judged for being attracted to other guys...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nothing's happening," Morgana said, breaking Ren's train of thought.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Was Skull's wish too petty?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're one to talk!" Pixie retorted. "You both wished for food!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess things don't just happen that easily," Morgana realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Even if it doesn't work, it would be a waste to just throw it away," Ren pointed out. "I better hold on to it just in case."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good call," Morgana agreed. "Well, that was a bit unexpected... Let's head back now."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. A Quiet Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>After exploring Mementos, the team discusses what they should do next.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once the team left Mementos, they decided to head back to the karaoke bar to further discuss the new area. "Mementos, huh?" Ryuji asked. "I still don't really get that place. Oh, and what was that wall thing we saw at the end?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not entirely sure, but that wall must've been there for a reason," Morgana guessed. "If Mementos is the public's Palace though..." A familiar beep from Ren's phone cut him off.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Let me guess, it all depends on how the public views us.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Probably," Morgana continued.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why do you know so much about it, Morgana?" Ann wondered. "Were you in other Palaces before we met?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"N-No, that's not it!" Morgana panicked. It too him a while to calm down. "My memories are a little foggy in that regard... However, I need to know what lies in the depths of Mementos, no matter what. Mementos is not just everyone's Palace. It's the source of all Palaces. It used to be that Palaces like Kamoshida's with one ruler simply didn't exist. So if we can do something about the greatest cause of distortions, I'm certain my appearance will..."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Regain its original form?" Ren guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You wanted someone to save you too..." Ann assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I just needed pawns," Morgana stammered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." Ryuji chimed in. "So that's why you came pokin' your nose around with us."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry, Morgana," Ren reassured as he scratched under the not-cat's chin. "I'll help you out."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Me too," Ann agreed. "I hope you can regain what you've lost."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll...be relying on you guys," Morgana said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"By the way Morgana...are you a boy?" Ann suddenly asked. "Or might you be a girl?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hmm... 'Morgana' is more commonly associated with girls, such as Morgan le Fay from the legend of Arthur Pendragon..." Ren recalled. "Gotta go girl."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I don't know who this 'Pendragon' person is, but you have a good point.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, Morgana can be surprisingly clingy..." Ann admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If that's the case, I don't wanna be anything more than just friends," Ryuji said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The feeling's mutual..." Morgana agreed. "...In any case, of course I'm male! I mean, I..." He nervously looked at his rear.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What is it?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No... It's nothing..." Morgana nervously muttered. "We're done talking about that!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren cleared his throat. "So, we can change the hearts of minor targets in Mementos," he said, trying to change topics. We need to keep our eyes out for anything that seems suspicious, like what happened with Nakanohara. Facing these targets could help with combat practice for ones who have Palaces."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There weren't any other outstanding ones though..." Ann pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Except for that one complaining about a withdrawn child.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Withdrawn child...?" Ann repeated.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, uh... Just some post about a worried parent..." he muttered. "It's probably not a big deal..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I bet we'll get tons of 'em if we can change someone famous and make the Phantom Thieves of Hearts well-known," Ryuji hoped. "The big fish are our main targets after all."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"But we should focus more on our exams first," Ren pointed out. "I'll be more than happy to help you study, Ryuji."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks, RenRen," Ryuji replied, sounding relieved.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet while the team chatted, a blue-haired teen was walking by outside, his gaze strangely fixated at the karaoke bar...</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">That evening, when Ren returned to LeBlanc, Sojiro gave him a key. "What's this for?" the dark-haired teen asked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's the key to this place," Sojiro explained. "You get to lock up from now on. I can't keep waiting for you to come home. Don't start any fires, okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I won't, sir," Ren replied.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, Ren finished packing his bag for the bathhouse. But just as he was about to leave the cafe, he received a text from Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Man, that Nakanohara guy was a piece of cake!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Tell that to Morgana. He's still bitter about how he was taken out.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Who knew a rubber mallet could cause that much damage?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">If we can take down some kinda big target next, we're totally gonna get famous.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hey! We're trying to help people, not get famous!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">But if people don't know who we are, how're we gonna give them any courage?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Just don't get too cocky.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Come on, man! You know I'm right!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sigh... You humans are totally weird...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I don't think that you're necessarily wrong, Ryuji... But should we really be doing this at all if we don't have a reason like with Kamoshida?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You mean we shouldn't be sticking our noses into other people's business?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">If we let people be, another Suzui might happen.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">He's right, Ann. If someone's in trouble, it's only natural to wanna help 'em out!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I mean, I agree with that. And I guess I was glad we were able to solve the stalker case.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Plus, what good are our Personas if we don't use 'em for good? Don't you agree, RenRen?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Says the guy who has no trouble summoning his.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Oh, right... Forgot about that...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">The same goes for me. I want to help people too.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We don't got much time to be arguing over this either. That Madarame guy bothers me.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Me too. I heard about Madarame from my parents and he doesn't sound like a bad person.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah. But not getting carried away, you understand? And don't do anything to stand out like fail all your exams.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That won't be a problem.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I wasn't talking to you.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Oh crap! Speaking of that, I haven't studied at all...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm heading over to the bathhouse right now, but feel free to stop by LeBlanc when I'm done. We can have a late-night study session together.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You're a lifesaver!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hold on, you two! What about that glowing star Jose gave us?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Oh yeah... Wonder if that could help us ace the exams...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Don't try to cop out of studying.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">He's right. Somehow I doubt your plan will work, Ryuji.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hell, I'd settle for just not failing.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Bargaining isn't gonna help you here. We wouldn't use it for that in the first place. Maybe you should just, I dunno, take Ren's offer and study with him? You've still got time.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Fiiine...</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren sighed as he turned off his phone. "Is it Ryuji?" Morgana asked. "Did he mention anything about Mementos?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"He complained about not passing the exams," Ren answered. "He's coming over later tonight so I can help him study."</p><p class="p2">"Like with Lady Ann?" Morgana assumed. "That's very kind of you." He jumped off the table and headed for the stairs.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're not coming to the bathhouse with me?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not tonight," Morgana answered. "You know me, I enjoy nighttime walks while you're off doing your own thing."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Well, if you insist," Ren sighed.</p><hr/><p class="p2">So while Ren headed over to the bathhouse alone, Morgana left LeBlanc and went in the opposite direction. As he walked, the whole scenery started to change. The night sky turned light blue as the streets of Yongen-Jaya became populated with excited people. As for the not-cat, he eventually transformed into his Metaverse form, all while a large tent came into view.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There it is..." Morgana said to himself. "The Unsolvable Palace."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The tent was bright red with flashy gold stripes, with crowds of people in line to see what was inside. There were also speakers near the main entrance, with a deep voice being projected for everyone to hear.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <b>"Come one, come all to the World's Freakshow Carnival! My wondrous collection has added brand new freaks for everyone to see! Gaze at the scum of society, the outcasts that this nation has to offer! But let's not forget about our main performance! It's quite a wondrous show!"</b>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Collection?!" Morgana repeated. "Don't tell me..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What caught his attention next was a large golden statue right outside the text. It depicted a single person wearing a peacoat suit. If that wasn't enough, the figure was standing in a rather suggestive pose with a hand on his hip and his other hand on his chin, all while he was depicted as winking. But what really alerted the not-cat was the plaque on the statue's base, which contained just two words.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ABSOLUTE PERFECTION</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's how you see the detective kid..." Morgana realized. "You only met him once and that was enough for you to become infatuated." He looked back at the tent. "But that collection..." His ears dropped. "I have a bad feeling about this..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, Morgana proceeded to venture into the tent, worried about what kind of things he might find inside.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Take a wild guess as to whose Palace this is.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0041"><h2>41. What I Want</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren spends the day hanging out with Mishima and making a new friend.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When Ren woke up the next morning, he felt quite refreshed. Last night he helped Ryuji with studying while also providing a cup of coffee for him, much like what he did with Ann. They also did some friendly chatter between lessons so the blonde could feel more relaxed, which worked surprisingly well for him. Overall, it was an enjoyable study session for the both of them.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">(Of course, Morgana returned to LeBlanc looking exhausted, but Ren decided not to question it. The poor not-cat looked like he needed to rest.)</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">For right now, the dark-haired teen was feeling great. He started off his day with his usual morning push-ups and a fresh up for coffee. When that was done, he got dressed for the day. Since it was a Sunday, he didn't have school. But before he could come up with plans for the day, he received an unexpected text from Mishima.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Hey, I saw on the forum! Nice job sticking it to that stalker! My Phantom Aficianado Website came in handy, didn't it?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">It did. We wouldn't have known about the stalker without the website. Thanks.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Anyway, I'm in Shibuya right now. I'd love it if you could come hear me out about your future actions!</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I don't have any plans for today. Sure, I'll stop by.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Thanks! I'll be waiting and the diner in Shibuya.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What is he up to...?" Morgana wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not sure, but I can tell he put a lot of work into the website," Ren replied. "I wouldn't hurt to hear what he has to say.</span>
  <span class="s1">"</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At the diner, Ren noticed Mishima looked a bit...tired. "How have things been?" he asked. "You know, with the...special activities?" he yawned.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you feeling alright?" Ren checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oops, sorry about that..." Mishima sheepishly apologized. "I, uh, haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately. I've been staying up managing the Phan-Site all night, every night. I think it's called...PR?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's short for 'public relations'," Ren pointed out. "So what did you want to talk about?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The Phan-Site," Mishima answered. "Basically, there's no point to taking down bad guys if nobody's gonna know about it. That's why I've started a blog for posts from people you guys saved, while filtering out the haters. We need the Phantom Thieves of Hearts to be seen in the proper light if we want to make the name popular, right?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You've done good," Ren complimented. "We can use posts to identify targets."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Really?!" Mishima asked. "Just hearing you say that makes my all-nighters worth it! Though actually, I really wanna know how you punish people..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's a bit complicated..." Ren admitted. "It might take a while for me to expla-"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry, I'm not gonna ask," Mishima interrupted. "It wouldn't be any fun if you just up and told me. After all, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts have a reputation for being secretive!" He paused. "But...I wish I could be more like you guys somehow."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well first you need to get a therapy pet to help you relax," Ren said jokingly. "I have Morgana and he's very comforting."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Mishima chuckled in response. "I didn't mean like <em>that</em>," he replied. "But I'll still be here to draw attention to the stuff you do! You can leave that part to me! I'm gonna use my Phan-Site to promote the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, and weed out any negative comments. You're popularity is gonna be at my fingertips. It's like I'll be your strategic image management representative, so to speak."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So the team's manager," Ren interpreted.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pretty much," Mishima confirmed. "Anyway, I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure that title's more than just for show." He yawned. "I've gotta say, though, managing the phantom thieves' reputation is tiring work... The forum gets all sorts of weird posts, including tons of things unrelated to reforming society... It'd defeat the purpose of the site if the truth of your mission was buried among all that garbage. Oh, but you don't need to worry. I'll sort through all the trash."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you're that tired, why don't you come with be to LeBlanc?" Ren offered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why that place?" Mishima asked in response.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I started working there recently," Ren explained. "I can brew a hot cup of coffee for you. I can't let our manager work with a tired mind."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Coffee, huh?" Mishima pondered. "I guess a cup wouldn't hurt."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, Ren ended up spending the day with Mishima. After spending some time at LeBlanc (with Mishima getting some coffee, like Ren promised), the two ended up hanging out at a local video game arcade for basic chit-chat. They mostly had fun and chatted, although at one point Ren noticed Makoto Nijima was hanging out with a young kid wearing a red baseball cap. He didn't think much of it, though it looked like she was babysitting him.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That evening, after parting way with Mishima, Ren decided to stop by Shibuya Square. He remembered meeting up with a politician weeks ago and now that he was allowed to walk around at night, he decided to use that opportunity to his advantage. So once he arrived at the station, he saw a familiar face giving a speech.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There have been far to many incidents recently to ignore!" the politician announced. "Can anyone deny this?! The runaway train incident, mysterious psychotic breakdowns, a school with a corrupt teacher... We have yet to discover the truth of it all! The apathy that permeates society is a direct result of negligence by our government and the media."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before the politician continued, he noticed Ren was listening to him. "You're listening quite attentively," he complimented. "Are you interested in politics?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I am interested," Ren confirmed with a nod. "I told you the other day, remember?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, of course!" the politician exclaimed. "You're that aspiring young man who wants to become a politician. I could use your help. I want to change the state of this country, and to do so, I need the power of the youth. However, due to certain regulations, I can't offer a job to a student. I was thinking you could learn some things if you chose to attend a few of my speeches though..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'd be glad to," Ren agreed. "Thank you."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't mention it," the politician happily replied. "That would be helpful indeed! Well then...would you mind telling me your name and contact information?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ren answered. "My name is Ren Amamiya and I currently attend Shujin Academy."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's nice to meet you, Amamiya-kun," the politician said as he shook hands with Ren. "I am Toranosuke Yoshida. I used to be a member of the Diet...but no longer. In the past twenty years, I've lost seven straight elections..." He sighed. "This isn't good. I'm dwelling on the negative right before my speech. Well then, I hope I can count on your help immediately."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Unfortunately, the speech didn't go well. Despite Yoshida's strong words, there were still hecklers and most passerbys ignored him. Worse, a rude man called out 'No-Good Tora'. Ren ended up restraining himself to not cause a scene, but he was still annoyed at the interruption.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After the speech, Yoshida spoke to Ren in private. "Why would that man call you by that name?" the dark-haired teen questioned. "That's campaign obstruction."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But it is the truth," Yoshida explained. "I went through quite an ordeal twenty years ago... Like I said earlier, I used to be a member of the National Diet. I was elected during the rise of the Kuramoto Children. We were backed by powerful Diet members. I was very inexperienced back then, both as a politician, as well as a human being. That inexperience led me to be involved in a series of major political scandals. People refer to my blunders as 'No-Good Tora's Three Strikes'."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What did you do?" Ren asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The first was being caught missing a legislative meeting to take a personal vacation," Yoshida continued. "Then, I was accused of embezzling a large sum of money from the party...giving me two strikes. Finally, I called a voter an idiot at an open forum, which resulted in scandal...and strike three. I was out...and branded a washed-up politician. You said you wanted to take part in politics. But do you see the man before you? Do you really want to receive my guidance?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes," Ren answered without hesitation. "I don't care about your past."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But why?" Yoshida asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I believe people can change," Ren explained, pushing up his glasses. "As long as they realize what they did wrong and learn from their mistakes, they can improve themselves and become better people."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm happy to hear that," Yoshida praised. "However...everyone says I have no chance of getting elected, so why come to me?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because you talk about wanting to improve society," Ren answered. "I want to become that kind of politician and actually make a change for this country, especially because of...certain reasons."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you had your own fair share of injustice inflicted upon you," Yoshida guessed. "You're quite confident to have that be your inspiration, Amamiya-kun. Perhaps if learning how to give a great speech is what you seek, then I'd be happy to instruct you. In exchange, I would like you to continue assisting me. Let's peruse your dream of becoming a politician. I'll be here giving my speeches every Sunday. You're welcome to drop by and help whenever you've got the time."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll keep that in mind," Ren promised. He had a feeling working alongside Yoshida can help give him an idea on how to be a politician.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're still up?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh... Sorry, Sensei. I wanted to do some light reading before I went to bed."</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see... You're looking at Sayuri again."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Looking at this masterpiece has always given me inspiration. Perhaps I can find that within my new muse."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"About that girl you saw the other day? That's great. I'm sure she can give you ideas for a new painting. But don't stay up too late. The exhibit is coming up soon and I want you to be fully rested."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you for reminding me."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hmm....."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What is it?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Your hair is getting a bit too long. You should schedule a haircut appointment as soon as you can. You wouldn't want it covering your eyes while you paint."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course, Sensei. I understand."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's a good boy. Now you better hurry up. You have a busy day tomorrow."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Boy?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why does that feel...wrong?"</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0042"><h2>42. The Fifth Secret Keeper</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In the wake of Kamoshida’s confession, the teachers of Shujin Academy decide to ask a certain doctor for help...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">For a while, not much happened. Ren went back to his normal routine of hanging out with his friends after school and spending his evenings working at LeBlanc. Unfortunately for him, Akechi didn't stop by the cafe. Yet no matter how many days passed, the dark-haired teen longed to see him again.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Then one morning, as soon as Ren arrived at school, he heard a peculiar discussion among the other students.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't believe this... A school assembly? During exam week? The hell are they thinking?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's the day after tomorrow, right? I wonder if it's gonna be about Mr. Kamoshida again..."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Ugh, I can't believe the school is messing with our schedule like this..."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't care what it's about. It's gonna have nothing to do with us students. I wish they'd stop dragging us into their mess."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A mandatory assembly during exam week, huh?" Morgana asked. "Sounds rough for all of you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No kidding..." Ren agreed. Luckily he has been studying constantly, so these exams should be a breeze.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">For the next few days, Ren was busy with his exams. Just like he expected, he was able to answer every question on each paper. But to the surprise of his teachers, he was the first student to finish up on every single day. He never stopped to second guess his answers, a result of his frequent studying.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After the third day of exams, the assembly began. "Every since that specific incident, many of you have voiced concerns that I could not bear to ignore," Kobayakawa said. "We believe the mental health of our student body is absolutely vital, so we've acquired the services of a therapist."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That peaked Ren's interests. "Therapist...?" he repeated.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The floor is yours, doctor," Kobayakawa continued, gesturing to a man wearing a white coat.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">This man in question walked up the microphone as Kobayakawa stood aside. He was a brunette who also had glasses and bathrobe slippers. Yet while Ren was intrigued by him being a therapist, most students were thinking...something else.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Isn't he hot?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He sure is. So handsome!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The man cleared his throat. "It's nice to meet you all," he said. "My name is-" But at that moment, the microphone stopped functioning. After a bit of tinkering, he got it working again. "My name is Takuto Maruki. Thank you for welcoming me to your school." He bowed, only to hit his head on the microphone. "No need to be formal with me, though. I'm just here to counsel anyone who's interested. You can even call me Doc, if that would help you feel more comfortable. Any assistance you need, I'll be- Oh... I guess I'm not really any good for helping with money problems."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, Kobayakawa went back to speaking. "Thank you, Dr. Maruki," he said.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once the assembly was done, Ren, Ryuji, and Ann met up. "You ever expect this place to actually give a shit about our mental health?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wouldn't know," Ren answered. "I only came here last month."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well our school's made national news," Ann pointed out. "Maybe they figured they'd look even worse if they didn't do anything for us."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And Doctor, uh... Doctor Whatshisname," Ryuji continued. "Wasn't that guy just basically clownin' it up onstage? You really think he'll do us any good?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hope so," Ren sadly admitted. "Maybe now would be a good time to..." His voice trailed off, his glasses hiding his sad expression.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji and Ann quickly realized what Ren was talking about. "You mean...about THAT thing?" Ann asked, referring to the dark-haired teen's sexuality.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before Ren or Ryuji could reply, Maruki walked over to the group. "Hey there," he spoke up. "Sakamoto-kun and Takamaki-san, right? And that must make you...Amamiya-kun."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How d'you know our names?" Ryuji demanded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, I was informed of certain students before beginning my tenure here," Maruki admitted. "Those that had previous interactions with Mr. Kamoshida." He looked over at Ren. "Amamiya-kun, it must have been especially tough for you after having just transferred here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, it was," Ren agreed as he pushed up his glasses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And yet you put on a brave face..." Maruki commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So...whaddya want with us?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah yes, I'd forgotten..." Maruki realized. "I know I already offered my services to the student body earlier, but would you three be interested in counseling?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes," Ren answered, his voice sounding desperate.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well someone's eager..." Maruki noted. He looked over at the other two. "What about you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nope, not at all," Ryuji dismissed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Maruki looked surprised. "You're a touch more emphatic about it that I'd expected..." he admitted. "But, if you come to my office, you can have free snacks. All you can eat...would be nice, but there's still plenty to be had. So, how about it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're not little kids," Ren bluntly pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Maruki chuckled in response. "You're right," he agreed. "To be frank, I've been explicitly ordered to provide counseling to the students directly involved with Mr. Kamoshida, along with a certain group of students who had supposedly spoke out against him during his confession. It's in the school's interest...for its students."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ahhh, the school's interest, huh?" Ryuji spat out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I know that asking you to be open with a complete stranger like myself is a lot," Maruki admitted. "Making this mandatory wouldn't do you any good, either. Might as well turn it into a worthwhile experience..." He looked back at Ren. "But it seems like you're already interested in my counseling, so you're more than welcome to stop by."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Ren happily replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji let out a defeated sigh. "I guess it'd just be more trouble for us if we didn't go..." he decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hmm, yeah," Ann agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Really?" Maruki asked. "I'm glad you all accepted my offer. I'll be in the nurse's office. Feel free to come by whenever it's convenient for you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whelp, we should get goin'," Ryuji spoke up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay, I'll see you later," Maruki replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But as Ryuji and Ann walked off, Ren stuck around. "I greatly appreciate your help," he said. "Thank you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I should be thanking you," Maruki disagreed. "For taking my counseling into consideration. I promise I'll do my best to help you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren gave Maruki a genuine smile of relief. Maybe these sessions could help him deal with his more personal, non-Kamoshida-related issues...</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">With the assembly over, Ms. Kawakami informed the class that Maruki was going to be at the school up until November 18th. After that day, he would leave the school, so she urged everyone to go see him as soon as possible. But that wasn't a big concern for Ren. He was planning on stopping by once he was finished with his exams.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once classes were done for the day, Ren received a text from Ann.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Well, I went in for counseling. You're going soon too, right, Ren?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Of course. So how'd it go?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hmm... Well it honestly wasn't as rough as I was expecting. Dr Maruki's easier to talk to than you'd think.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Really? You think he might help me out with my...certain problems?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">He might be the type of guy who could help with that. Okay, see you tomorrow.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're really interested in counseling," Morgana commented. "I know you have an appointment right now, so I'l just pass time in the area until you're done."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Remembering where the nurse's office is, Ren eagerly rushed over there...but not before accidentally bumping into Kasumi, who was just finished with a counseling session. She talked about how she spoke to Maruki before he came to Shujin Academy. After the two students parted ways, Ren headed inside for his session.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Welcome, Amamiya-kun!" Maruki greeted. "Thank you for coming."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm a little nervous about this therapy session..." Ren admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't think about it too much," Maruki reassured. "This is a safe place. No one will know about what we discuss. Now come, have a seat."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When Ren sat on the couch, he told Maruki about everything that was bothering him, especially the rumors regarding his 'weird behavior'. Luckily he chose his words carefully, so there was no way the doctor would find out about-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You wouldn't happen to be gay, would you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren froze up. "N-No!" he stammered. "Why would you say that?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because I spoke to four other students before you and three of them wanted to talk about their sexuality struggles," Maruki answered. "Plus the school gave me a brief rundown of the circumstances surrounding your transfer here. It wasn't hard for me to conclude you're not attracted to girls."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is...that alright?" Ren checked. "I mean, I only started opening up to my closest friends once I came here, so..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's perfectly fine for you to be attracted to other boys," Maruki reassured. "Your feelings are normal and you have nothing to be ashamed of." He paused. "Now that you've told me more about yourself, I think I've realized something. It seems like you've largely been able to reconcile your internal world with your external world. That's really, truly impressive. Even most adults can't reliably manage that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you mean by that?" Ren questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How to put it..." Maruki replied. "You know how everyone has an internal reality? Some conception of themselves they're striving for? Like, wanting to be a model student, or wanting to be loved and relied on... That kind of thing. But that idealized reality and the one in actuality are often far apart. That gap is responsible for a lot of people's pain. Not everyone can ace their exams. And not everyone can be the heroes they wish they could be. You've already been through so much. That kind of suffering is usually enough to twist people up into dark places."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Like rape?" Ren asked, recalling how he didn't bring it up right away.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That surprised Maruki. "I'm sorry, did you say...rape?" he checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was sexually assaulted by a senior girl in my first year of high school," Ren elaborated. "Afterwards, she bragged to the whole school about how 'easy' I was and the next thing I knew, other girls tried to assault me as well. It didn't stop until I transferred schools."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I see..." Maruki muttered. He cleared his throat. "You're very brave to confess like that. Not a lot of guys your age would be open about that kind of subject. But you... You're standing up to it, and confronting a tough, painful reality. To me, that's incredibly admirable. Then again, maybe that's a little weird for you to hear from a guy you just met, huh?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It helps," Ren answered, feeling a bit better.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Maruki checked the clock. "Sorry, this went on longer than I expected," he apologized. "Somehow, the conversation just took on a life of its own, I guess..." He paused. "Hey, I've actually got one last request. Do you mind?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Not at all," Ren replied. "What's the request?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm actually doing certain research along with my duties as a counselor," Maruki continued. "It's not quite like counseling. More like a type of psychological treatment. Basically, it's a project to learn more about people's metaphorical hearts. What they think, how they feel. If I get far enough with it, I think it'll be able to help a lot of people. So...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"As long as you continue helping me, I wouldn't mind helping you out in return," Ren decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Maruki replied. "All you have to do is listen to my theories, and then tell me if they spark any ideas or realizations on your end. Any time's good for me. I can work around your schedule." He took out his phone. "Would it be okay if we traded contact information? I'll contact you when I've got the time, or when I need some input from you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Nodding in response, Ren took out his phone and exchanged contact information with Maruki. "That should do it!" the doctor said. "Now I'd better do my part to repay you. Do you...have any crushes at the moment?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Just one," Ren answered. "There's a boy I met at LeBlanc last month, on my first day of working there. His name's Goro Akechi-"</p><p class="p2">"That one?" Maruki suddenly interrupted.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You know about Akechi?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"A little," Maruki admitted. "He runs a food blog on InstaChat. I don't really know him that well, but I heard he's popular among foodies. Sorry for the interruption. I'm just surprised you like him."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He's...pleasant," Ren confessed as he tucked his hair behind his ear, all while he blushed. "And very handsome. He also has a way with words that feels...captivating. But I haven't met him after that day and I kind of want to see him again."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you have a thing for prince-like guys," Maruki concluded. "I see... We'll talk more about it next time. Thank you for your visit."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, thank you," Ren disagreed. "For helping me with...that stuff." He could feel a strong bond between him and Maruki...</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0043"><h2>43. The Emperor Cometh</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ann’s stalker concerns finally come to light.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day started off rather normal. While waiting for the subway to arrive, Ren met up with Ryuji, who looked a bit more sluggish than usual.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm so sleepy..." the blonde teen yawned. "I ended up pullin' an all-nighter once I realized today's the last day of exams."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What, you goofed off and played video games?" Ren guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wish..." Ryuji sighed. "I still had those notes from our study session, so I read them and before I knew it, it was morning."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You? Staying up studying?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I took so many notes that night..." Ryuji complained. "Your way of studying's too intense, RenRen. If I didn't take this seriously, I prolly wouldn't hear the end of it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're right about that," Ren agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p2">At that moment, Ann walked over to the two. "Morning..." she yawned.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yo, look who else is yawnin'," Ryuji teased.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Exams are almost over, so I thought I'd make one last effort across the finish line," Ann explained.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Impressive, Lady Ann," Morgana purred. "Both you and Ryuji are taking these exams seriously."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It took a while for Ann to realize what Morgana just said. "You too?!" she asked Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, it's not my fault!" Ryuji shouted. "Mr. Future-Politician here is a tough study teacher!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Be grateful for Ren's tutoring!" Morgana defended. "You might end up passing this time!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji looked hopeful. "You think so...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's a nice change," Ann complimented. "Usually you don't bother studying and you always-" But then she stopped talking as she nervously glanced around. "Am I imagining things?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that stalker back?" Ren checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Stalker...?" Ryuji echoed. He looked over at Ann. "How long has this been goin' on?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"For a while," Ann answered. "I keep getting this feeling someone's watching me, but I don't know who."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ryuji's entire demeanor changed. "Then stay close to me," he ordered. "I'll keep an eye out for you."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">A while later, the team got off the train. But as they approached the escalator, Ann realized a certain someone stepped off as well...as was walking over to them.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh my god, that guy got off!" Ann panicked. "Isn't this bad...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It is," Ren agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji, on the other hand, put his hand on Ann's waist and pulled her close to him. "I'm not lettin' that creep get near you," he whispered. "Come on."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet even when they left the subway, there was still the issue of the mysterious stranger. He kept on following the group. Eventually, he reached out to them, causing Ryuji to do something a bit...reckless.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Get your hands offa her!" Ryuji shouted. But before he could punch this mystery person, all three teens got a good look at him and-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren let out a small gasp.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">This stranger in question had dark blue hair and blue-grey eyes with long eyelashes. He was tall and thin, wearing a white gakuran-style shirt, tight black pants, and polished black shoes. Ren was left speechless upon seeing him. He was so...handsome, even when part of his bangs fell over his eyes when he tilted his head to the side.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And yet...why did it feel like there was something off about him?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, uh...are you sure it's him?" Ryuji checked. "Or are you just that self-conscious?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not that-" Ann started to shout.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is there something you want?" the handsome stranger asked, speaking in a deep voice.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's my line!" Ann angrily responded. "You were the one stalking me!"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Stalking you...?" the handsome stranger repeated, tucking his hair behind his ear. "That's outrageous."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I know you've been following me!" Ann continued. "Ever since the train!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The handsome stranger looked confused. "That's because..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, a horn honked from a black limo. The window rolled down, revealing an elderly man sitting inside. "My goodness... I was wondering why you left the car," he said. "So this is the muse who caught your attention."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that aside, the handsome stranger resumed talking to Ann. "I saw you from the car...and I couldn't help myself from chasing after you," he explained. "I didn't even notice the calls from Sensei... But thank goodness, I caught up to you. You're the woman I've been searching for all this time! Please, won't you-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"W-Wait a minute, I-" Ann stammered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"-be the model for my next art piece?!" the handsome stranger finished.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That surprised Ann. "...Model?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All that I've drawn till now has been lacking, but I feel a passion from you unlike anyone else," the handsome stranger continued.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"This man's highly suspicious!" Morgana hissed.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ain't this a recruit for some shady business?" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Will you cooperate with me?" the handsome stranger insisted. "What do you say?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Hold your horses!" Ryuji spoke up. "Who're you anyways?!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, where are my manners?" the handsome stranger realized. "I'm a second-year at Kosei High's fine arts division. My name is...Yusuke Kitagawa. I'm Madarame-sensei's pupil, and I am being allowed residence at his place. I'm striving to become an artist."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Did you say...Madarame?" Ren checked. He heard a notification beep from his phone. He didn't need to check it, knowing Pixie was commenting on the familiar name.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You know about him?" Yusuke asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My parents won one of his original paintings in an auction," Ren explained. "It depicted a hand holding a large sapphire jewel."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke was taken back by the reveal. "That would be Secret Desires," he revealed. "It was a self-portrait of Sensei's own hand, back when he was starting out. You truly know your artwork."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not really," Ren admitted. "My mom is a huge fan of his artwork. She has been proud of owning that painting since the auction."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before the conversation could continue, Madarame spoke up. "Yusuke!" he called out.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"I'm sorry, Sensei," Yusuke apologized. "I'll be right there!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That old guy's Madarame?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think so," Ren confirmed. "He looks older compared to the pictures my mom showed me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Madarame-sensei's exhibition will begin at the department store near the station tomorrow," Yusuke explained. He took out a small handful of tickets. "I'll be there to help out on opening day. Please come by. It'd be great if you could give me your answer in regard to being a model then."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Um... Sure..." Ann muttered as she accepted the tickets.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well then, I hope to see you there tomorrow," Yusuke said. And with that, he got in the limo, which drove off.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That guy's as easy to read as a book..." Ryuji dismissed. He looked over at Ann. "You're not plannin' on goin', are ya?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...I need to think about it," Ann admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't," Ren disagreed. "I wouldn't mind stopping by to see Madarame's artwork."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0044"><h2>44. A New Crush</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren starts to feel a bit weird about Yusuke. Also, Pixie is still sassy.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Despite that delay, the team was able to get to school for the final day of the exams. For Ren, he felt pretty confident with how he answered each question. He was sure he was going to reach at least the top ten.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once school was done for the day, the team met up at the subway. "It's over!" Ann cheered as she stretched.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's over..." Ryuji sighed, looking a bit drained.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That was a breeze," Ren bragged.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well you look pretty confident," Ann commented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Anyways, can we stop talkin' about the exams?" Ryuji asked. "I've got a feelin' I did better than usual, but I'm still a little nervous. They're gonna come back graded next week, anyway. Rather than focus on stuff that's over with..." He took out his phone.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You looking over the Phan-Site?" Ren guessed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji nodded in response. "But there isn't any useful info," he complained. "The number of the posts are gettin' less and less too..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A familiar notification beeped from Ren's phone, prompting him to take it out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">That's what you get for not doing much! Unless you guys do something big, people are going to get bored and move on to the next big thing!</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then what're we supposed to do?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Well there's always that post about the withdrawn child.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I already said it wasn't a big deal," Ren dismissed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I am not letting this end as a one-hit wonder, okay?" Morgana vowed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's no point in getting antsy though," Ann replied. "I know! Why don't we go eat lunch somewhere? We still have some money left over from the other day."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I want sushi, then!" Ryuji eagerly suggested. "Or domestic-raised eel!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We could go to Madarame's exhibit," Ren spoke up.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But that's tomorrow," Ann recalled.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're that eager to see the exhibit, huh?" Morgana commented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because I'm getting mixed messages regarding Madarame," Ren explained. "From what I heard about him, he's a respectful painter who cares about the quality of his work. But after what happened in Mementos..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">So you ARE suspicious of him!</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We also got free tickets to the exhibit," Ren continued. "Normally they would cost 500,000 yen. It wouldn't hurt to not use them."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, have fun, I guess," Ryuji muttered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hold on," Ren interrupted. "We got these tickets because of Ann. It would be rude for her to not show up."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well I did see a special on Good Morning Japan the other day," Ann admitted. "His artwork was pretty nice."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I suggest we should all go together!" Morgana decided. "Appreciating the fine arts builds character. A phantom thief who can't identify an original is lame."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, if everyone's going..." Ryuji sighed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's settled then!" Ann cheered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in agreement. "It should be fun."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just the phrase 'going to an art exhibit' sounds kinda mature," Ann gushed. "Let's meet at the exhibit entrance tomorrow."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That evening, Ren was packing his bag for the bathhouse when he received a text from Ann.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Hey, Ren... Can I ask you something?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN</span>
  <span class="s1">:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Sure. What is it?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">What do you know about Madarame?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">He got his start by painting hands. But after he released a painting of a woman several years ago, he entered an experimental phase and started painting other things. My mom isn't a fan of his recent works, so she mostly talks about his older paintings.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Is that why your parents won that painting in an auction?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">It is. I was young at the time, but I remember my mom proudly showing it off when she and dad came back home.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">So you think this Madarame might be the same one Nakanohara mentioned?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">It might, but I'm not entirely sure. It doesn't hurt to check.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Why bother checking? It's gotta be the same guy. I mean, you guys ever heard of someone else called Madarame?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">It's really not common at all. If what we heard is true, Kitagawa-kun is studying under a corrupt teacher.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren blushed upon reading that name.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Whoa, someone's looking a bit blushy!</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">What, me?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Seriously? Didn't you already have a thing for that Akechi guy?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">It's not like that! I don't see him that way. There's something off about Kitagawa-san and I'm a bit suspicious of him.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Then why the blush?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren tried to respond, but his fingers froze up. While he was suspicious of Yusuke, he couldn't help but admit how handsome he looks.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">What a peculiar love triangle this became! The frizzy-haired transfer student has caught the attention of a detective-enthusiast foodie and an artist-in-training! Which boy will he end up with? Who knows!</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Foodie?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Oh yeah, turns out Akechi runs a food blog. Ren found out about it from Maruki yesterday.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"P-Pixie!" Ren nervously stammered. The poor guy suddenly realized the sassy Shadow was probably listening in on his therapy session.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Lol! You should see the look on his face! He's so cute when he gets embarrassed!</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay, that's enough," Ren decided as he turned off his phone and put it on his desk.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You feeling alright?" Morgana checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Itsnothingletsjustgo!" Ren shouted as he picked up his bag and headed for the stairs. Hopefully tonight's bathhouse visit can help him relax...</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next morning, after finishing up his fifty pull-ups and drinking his morning coffee, Ren got dressed for the exhibit. But once he did so, he found himself in the cafe bathroom checking his reflection. For some reason, he felt compelled to smooth down his messy hair. He wasn't sure why, but he felt like he had to look his best. Unfortunately, it wasn't cooperating as usual and a certain not-cat was getting impatient.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ren, come on!" Morgana whined. "You're gonna be late!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren sighed as he gave up trying. "Fine..." he grumbled, settling for just combing his hair normally. Why was he even trying so hard this time?</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0045"><h2>45. The Art Exhibit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren, Ryuji, and Ann attend the Madarame Art exhibit.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once Ren met up with Ryuji and Ann at the museum, he quickly noticed the paintings he could see didn't look like the paintings he was already familiar with. The walls were decorated with Madarame's modern works, with not a single hand painting in sight. Is this the kind of artwork most people prefer?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So crowded..." Morgana commented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It'll be a pain in the ass if someone sees you, so don't stick your head out too much, all right?" Ryuji pointed out, prompting the not-cat to snuggle up into Ren's bag.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Yusuke walked over to the group. "You came!" he told Ann. Then he noticed Ren and Ryuji. "You really came."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It was my idea," Ren explained. "I wanted to see Madarame's artworks."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." Yusuke commented. "Make sure you don't get in the way of the other visitors." He looked back at Ann. "Come now. I'll show you around. I'd like to speak more about the picture I'd like to draw too."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, see you guys later," Ann said. Then Yusuke started showing her around the exhibit.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Will Lady Ann be all right?!" Morgana panicked. "What if he drags her behind some painting and tries something funny?!"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji, on the other hands, looked annoyed. "Are we really gonna 'appreciate' the fine arts?" he asked Ren. "Can't we just go home?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not yet," Ren disagreed. "There's something I need to check out."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji let out a frustrated sigh. "I guess we should do a quick pass through it once..." But upon looking around, he started to get confused. "Uh... Which way are we supposed to start?"</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">Meanwhile, Ann was looking around the exhibits in awe. "I didn't know there were so many types of Japanese art," she told Yusuke.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Usually one concentrates on their own style," Yusuke replied. "However, Sensei creates all of this by himself. He's special."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A particular painting caught Ann's eye. "Oh, this is it!" she exclaimed. "The painting I wanted to see in person."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke was surprised. "You want...to see that?" he asked, his voice slightly wavering.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah," Ann confirmed, walking over to the painting. "I saw it on TV and I couldn't stop thinking about it. Maybe it represents the painter's anger. I'm not sure, but I sense this...strong frustration from it. Which is strange because Madarame seems so happy and composed in interviews. To think he created such a piece..."</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Madarame-sensei has better pieces than this one," Yusuke dismissed, his sideswept bangs hiding his eyes. He grabbed Ann's wrist and dragged her away from the painting. "Come, this way."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As for the boys, they ended up getting separated so while Ryuji had to deal with large crowds of attendees, Ren walked around to look at the various art exhibits. Yet no matter how much he searched, he was unable to find a single hand painting on display. The reason for this search was because he wanted to see more of the Madarame his mom admired, not the one who was currently on display.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We continue to be truly surprised by your imagination."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Surprised, Ren followed the sound of that voice. It didn't take long for him to find it: a woman reporter. At the moment, she was interviewing Madarame himself. He decided to listen in on the conversation, hoping to pick up on some intel.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You have such expansive styles," the reporter continued. "It's hard to believe that it all stems from one person. Where in the world does all your inspiration come from?"</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well...it is rather difficult to put into words..." Madarame replied with a pleasant smile. "They naturally well up from within my heart like bubbles rising one after another in the spring."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Naturally, you say?" the reporter asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's important is to distance oneself from worldly desires such as money and fame," Madarame continued. "My atelier is a modest shack, but it is more than enough to pursue true beauty."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shack...?" Ren muttered to himself. Why did that word feel strange?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." the reporter replied. "So the act of emptying one's mind gives rise to inner beauty. Still, to think we could hear the word 'shack' coming from the great artist Madarame."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You would understand if you saw it," Madarame explained.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Having heard enough, Ren decided to leave and get back to looking around the exhi-</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why, hello there."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren turned to face back the interview. "Me...?" he asked, shyly pointing at himself.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, of course," Madarame answered, gesturing Ren to come over, much to the dark-haired teen's confusion.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Meanwhile, in the rural town of Ichib, a husband and wife living in a small manor were watching the news during breakfast. They were both dignified-looking people and their choice of clothing made them look professional. The gentleman had short black hair slicked back and dark grey eyes, wearing a light grey suit with a maroon tie and black shoes. His wife had her long, waist-length, straight black hair tied up in a low ponytail with bangs right above her brow. Her eyes were dark blue, framed by long eyelashes. She wore a black suit, but she had a skirt with leggings and heels instead of pants.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At the moment, the news turned to a live interview with the famous painter Madarame. Yet while the gentleman didn't seem all that interested, the wife was captivated by it. For a while, things were pretty silent until he asked an exhibit attendee to come over. The wife let out a small gasp in surprise.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What is it, dear?" the gentleman asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"J-Just look..." the wife muttered, pointing at the TV.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The gentleman looked at the TV as well as he was surprised. "Is that...?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's so nice to have teenagers such as yourself attend my exhibit. Tell me, what made you decide to come here?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I would have to say it's because of my mom. She's a huge fan of your earlier painters and she won an original artwork at an auction years ago."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What painting would that be?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The self-portrait of your hand. I was told you named it 'Secret Desires'."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That was one of my earliest paintings. If you wish, I can tell you the reasons why I painted such a masterpiece."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wouldn't mind."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Very well. You see, it has been a dream of mine to display the true beauty of society. But given my humble beginnings, it was at first nothing but a dream, faded in the wisps of memories. I have longed to grasp these desires, so I poured my heart into expressing this dream to the world. That is why I chose to use my own hand as a model, with the sapphire jewel representing the Earth itself."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That sounds impressive. I can see why my mom likes your artwork."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I would say it's an honor for her to treasure such a piece. After all, so few people know about my earlier paintings."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the interview continued, both the gentleman and his wife were still surprised. "I can't believe it," the gentleman spoke up after a few seconds of silence. "That was Junior..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't believe it either," the wife agreed. "I'm surprised he was able to attend the exhibit. You know how expensive those tickets are."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The gentleman sighed. "Maybe it was a good idea we didn't attend," he decided. "It would have gone against the judge's orders to not contact him."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I just hope the city is kind to him," the wife said, voicing concern. "It has already been a month and I still miss him terribly."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We both know Junior is a strong boy," the gentleman reassured. "No matter what happens to him, he always pulls through with a smile."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, but..." the wife agreed. She looked back at the TV. "There's nothing wrong with worrying about his safety."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A few hours later, Ren and Ryuji had left the exhibit and were currently waiting for Ann right outside the museum. Yet while Ren was happy to talk about his experiences, Ryuji was...the complete opposite.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That old lady totally elbowed me..." the blonde teen complained. "But thanks to that, I remember now."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"About the post?" Ren checked. "We should wait for Ann to get back first."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As if on cue, Ann walked out of the museum. "I got your text, Ren," she said. "What did you guys want to tell me?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took out his phone. "There's something that's been bugging me," he answered, opening up the Phan-Site. "Take a look."</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A master of the Japanese arts is plagiarizing his pupil's work. Only his public face is shown on TV. His treatment of the pupils who live with him is awful. He teaches nothing and bosses them around. He treats them inhumanely, as if disciplining a dog.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Plagurizing?!" Ann exclaimed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And abuse on top of that," Morgana chimed in.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ryuji showed it to me earlier," Ren exclaimed. "It didn't mention any names, but something felt off when I heard Madarame say 'shack' during an interview."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If this is real, it'd be a huge scandal," Ryuji said.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wonder if Kitagawa-kun posted this," Ann guessed. "I mean, he IS a pupil of his."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The post is anonymous," Ren pointed out, looking back on his phone. "We don't have a way of identifying who sent this."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In that case, it's possible the Madarame we heard about in Mementos is referring to the same one," Morgana replied. "But we have to be careful. He's a famous painter that's always in the limelight, which could make things really tricky for us."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what's our next move, then?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"First, we should confirm whether or not it's true," Ren decided. He pushed up his glasses. "If we act too careless, we might end up getting caught by Madarame himself."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"By the way, what did you do about the whole modeling thing?" Ryuji asked Ann.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Kitagawa-kun gave me his contact info," Ann answered. "And the address to his sensei's atelier."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That might work to our advantage," Ren realized. "Didn't Kitagawa-san say he lives there?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"He did," Ryuji replied. "Perfect timing. We can go there tomorrow!"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh? You want me to model tomorrow?!" Ann panicked. "This is too sudden..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You don't have to," Ren reassured. "We're only stopping by to ask some questions."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, that's what you meant..." Ann realized. She looked somewhat relieved.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Take a wild guess as to who the gentleman and his wife are...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0046"><h2>46. The Mysterious Shack</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The team heads over to Madarame’s place for some questions.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DISCLAIMER: All in-game dialogue option selections are based on my own personal preferences and how I see Ren Amamiya.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">School was the same as always the next day, with only one minor difference. as part of his agreement of counseling the students, Maruki was allowed to stop by classes for a lecture on mental health. This was no different then regular classes, so Ren didn't think much of it, especially since he was more focused on seeing Yusuke after school.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">So once school was done for the day, the team boarded a subway to head over to Madarame's supposed shack. Unfortunately, not everyone was happy with the plan...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Phantom thieves goin' by train..." Ryuji complained. "This ain't different from how I get home from school, y'know."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Would you rather walk to the shack instead?" Ren asked, but the blonde male didn't reply. Instead, a familiar notification beeped from his phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Isn't walking a good way for you humans to exercise?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The train is the fastest way to go," Ann pointed out. "Plus, we can bring pets on here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As if on cue, Morgana stuck his head out of Ren's bag. "Hey, who're you calling a cat?!" he hissed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not so loud!" Ren shushed. "I didn't pay the fare this time!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This time...?" Ryuji repeated. "You already knew about it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Morgana's cover is being my therapy pet, remember?" Ren explained. "I have to pay extra to make sure I can use the subway with him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ooh, kitty!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came from an innocent girl, who just so happened to spot Morgana. "Is that your pet, mister?" she asked Ren. "I heard it meowing!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nervously cleared his throat. "You're mistaken," he corrected. "It's a stuffed animal."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, it's just a toy," Ann agreed. "It meows when you press on its head."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...What?" Ren muttered, surprised by Ann's excuse.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You heard her, RenRen," Ryuji encouraged. "Press on its head."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is ridic-" Morgana growled, but then Ren pressed on his head. "M-Mewww..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wowweeeee!" the innocent girl gushed. "Again! Again!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As much as Ren would like to humor Morgana by button mashing, he didn't want to hurt the not-cat, so he did something equally amusing. As he pressed gently, he proceeded to use his thumb and pinky finger to scratch behind the ears. Eventually the gentle pressing turned into cute head scritches, allowing the dark-haired teen to scratch his 'pet's' head much like what he did <a href="https://youtu.be/W4-3Ji3vLa4">when they first met</a>. Sure enough, a similar reaction happened once more.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Purrr..." Morgana sighed, subconsciously embracing the scritches. "Mew, meow..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ahaha, it's so cute!" the innocent girl giggled. "I wanna hear it again!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Dude... The cat's droolin'..." Ryuji complained, all while Ren could hear notifications beeping from his phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The next stop is Shibuya. Shibuya. Doors will open on the left side."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, this is our stop!" Ann informed the innocent girl. "Well, see you later! Bye bye!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The innocent girl nodded in response. "Bye bye!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once the team got off the subway, they started to check for directions. But as for Ren, he checked his phone to see what Pixie was saying during the 'cute scritches' moment. Sure enough, she replied with a lot of 'lols', so she was probably laughing at Morgana's moment of weakness.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So, which line do we gotta transfer to?" Ryuji wondered as he and Ann checked a nearby map.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Doesn't look like there are any stations close by to that address..." Ann noted. "If anything, this is the closest station."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?! Then we gotta walk the rest of the way?!" Ryuji realized. "What kinda phantom thief takes the train, and then walks to their destination?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pixie said it's good exercise," Ren recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah! So stop complaining and start walking!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji groaned once he saw was Pixie said. "You just had to befriend a Shadow with attitude..." he told Ren.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's supposedly a shack, but this is the neighborhood he lives in..." Ann said. "As expected of a famous artist." She checked the map once more. "Looks like the fastest route is to get to the station square and then go to Central Street. Let's move!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After a bit of walking about, the team finally reached Madarame's address. Sure enough, it was just like what he described: a run-down shack.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is...that it?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're at the right address..." Ann checked. "The door plate does say 'Madarame'."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uhhh... Who's gonna ring the bell?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Can we even do that?" Ann asked in response. "The walls won't collapse, will they?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No one sneeze or we'll blow this house down, okay?" Morgana joked. Then a familiar beep replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Why sneeze? Does someone have a pollen allergy and not tell me?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pollen aller-" Morgana started to say. "You really haven't had experience with humans..."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Well, excuse me! I was poofed into existence by a half-naked guy in an isolated castle! I didn't know about humans until you guys freed me!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay, that's enough, you two," Ren sighed as he walked over to the shack. He rang the doorbell.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who is it? Sensei is currently-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann quickly rushed over to Ren. "It's Takamaki," she answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll be right out!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A few seconds later, Yusuke opened the shack's door. "Takamaki-sa-" He quickly noticed Ren and Ryuji as well. "...You two are here, as well?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren felt his cheeks turn warm. "We're here to ask you about Madarame," he said once he cleared his throat. "Is he really plagiarizing other painters? And what about the supposed abuse onto his pupils?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you serious?" Yusuke asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We read about it online," Ryuji explained, holding up his phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke gave a closer look at the post. "This...?" he asked. He let out a deep, booming laugh. "Preposterous! Not only is the plagiarism impossible, but abuse? He welcomes pupils into his own home! This is not act of violence! It is charity! And I'm the one residing here and studying under him! I'm saying it's not true, so it's beyond doubt!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you sure?" Ren questioned as he pushed up his glasses. "What you just said might be a cover to help him save face."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That..." Yusuke said, his voice softening. He started fiddling with a lock of his hair. "...That is utter rubbish." He quickly lowered his hand. "I had no family when Sensei took me in and raised me into what you see now! If you continue to ridicule the man I owe my life to, you will rue this day!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yusuke?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came from Madarame, who just so happened to see what was going on outside his home. "What's the matter?" he asked the bluenette. "I heard you yelling."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"These people are slandering you with baseless rumors!" Yusuke shouted as he pointed at the group.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Forgive them, Yusuke," Madarame said, speaking in a calm tone. "They must've heard some bad rumors and came in worry for their friend's safety."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke sighed as he tucked his hair behind his ears. "Understood, Sensei."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, even I doubt that a cranky old man like myself could be liked by everyone," Madarame pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not what we meant..." Ann tried to correct.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sorry to have butt in on your conversation," Madarame apologized. "However, I do have neighbors around. Won't you please keep it down?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course, Sensei," Yusuke replied. Ren noticed his fingers twitched as he spoke.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now, if you'll excuse me," Madarame said. Then he headed back into the shack.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke let out a discomforted sound as he bowed. "That was discourteous of me..." he apologized. "I'm sorry." He stood to his full height. "...I know! I think you'll be able to believe in Sensei if you saw that painting."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Which painting?" Ren questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke took out his phone and revealed an image of a painting. "It's his maiden work, as well as his most representative piece," he continued. "It's titled 'Sayuri'."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sayuri...?" Ann echoed.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This was the painting that inspired me to become an artist," Yusuke explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's so beautiful..." Ann said in awe.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't know all this fine-art stuff, but even I can tell that this is impressive," Ryuji complimented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren, on the other hand, wasn't all that impressed. "This is what started Madarame's experimental phase?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"When I first saw you, I felt the same powerful emotion as when I saw this painting..." Yusuke told Ann.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Me?" Ann gasped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wish to pursue beauty like this," Yusuke continued. "And I believe drawing you will be part of that pursuit. I implore you... Seriously consider my offer." He went back into the shack. "I'm sorry that you took the time to come all this way, but I must assist Sensei today. I hope that we can discuss this another. If you'll excuse me, then." And with that, he closed the door.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Those two...seem like nice guys, don't they?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maybe the Madarame we heard about in Mementos is a different person," Ann guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's possible..." Ren muttered, although he was starting to feel suspicious. Despite what Yusuke said about that Sayuri painting, he couldn't help but think back to what Madarame said at the exhibit.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s1">"I would say it's an honor for her to treasure such a piece. After all, so few people know about my earlier paintings."</span> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">If he supposedly considered Sayuri his best work, why would he be happy when Ren talked about his parents winning Secret Desires at an auction?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Man, right when we thought we found a new target, too..." Ryuji sighed. He started walking. "Let's go home. But that place really was a shack."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, that's for sure," Ann agreed as she followed Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But then, at that moment, Ren decided to check a certain app on a whim. To his surprise, a familiar voice spoke up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">Results found.</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Upon hearing that voice, Ryuji and Ann stopped in their tracks. "Hey, what's up?" the blonde male asked.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's the MetaNav," Ren answered. "It's reacting."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0047"><h2>47. The Tacky Museum</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The shack’s true nature is revealed in the Metaverse.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?!" Ryuji asked in alarm.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Was it picking up our conversation?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It seems like it," Ren guessed. "Then it must mean those rumors about Madarame are true."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That means his desires are warped enough for him to have a Palace of his own," Morgana chimed in.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But why?" Ann asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll find out once we get in," Ren answered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana peeked over Ren's shoulder. "'Madarame', 'plagiarism'...and then 'shack'," the not-cat read. "These seem to be the keywords."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"For real though, what the hell's goin' on?" Ryuji wondered. "Does an old man like him really have a Palace?!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ren's right, we should go and check it out," Morgana decided. "We already know his name and location. All that's left for us to figure out is what Madarame really thinks of his own Palace."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean...like how Kamoshida thought the school was his castle?" Ann recalled.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's right," Morgana answered. "Let's try saying some things. They can be random guesses."</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet while Ryuji and Ann proceeded to blurt out random words, Ren went into what he called 'Deep Thought Mode'. He thought back to what he already knows about Madarame. According to that post, he steals his pupil's works and announces them to the public under his own name. Perhaps...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Japanese art... A building that's full of paintings...</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A museum."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">Beginning navigation.</span> </strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana let out a gasp as he looked at his paws. "Hey, when did you activate the Nav?!" he asked. "You surprised me!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Didn't have much of a choice," Ryuji admitted. "I think we just happened to get it right."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What if I hadn't noticed, and then wandered off and got caught by an enemy?!" Morgana shouted.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Prolly woulda figured it out once you started walkin' on two legs," Ryuji answered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana let out an unamused growl. "So even you can slip into the Metaverse without realizing it, Mona?" Ann asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes," Morgana sheepishly answered. "In a place with minimal cognitive distortion, the differences can be quite subtle."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji noticed something in the background. "Forget that... Look!" He pointed at what looked like the world's tackiest building.</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's the supposed museum," Ren commented. "I didn't think it would be this flashy."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie was mesmerized by the Palace. "I just got here and I can already sense other Shadows in there," she reported. "Maybe there's someone we can free."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's so extravagant...to the point that it's gaudy," Ann commented. "It's a museum... Right?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is Madarame's?" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, a Palace is a world formed by a mind twisted by desire," Morgana reinforced. "Remember Kamoshida's castle?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ugh... Don't remind me!" Pixie whined.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Madarame's artwork is on display at museums in reality too, though," Ann recalled. "His exhibit was popular, and people already respect him. Why would he fantasize about a museum?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You got a point..." Ryuji agreed. "It ain't related to plagiarism or abuse, either."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But if my suspicions are correct, he's displaying more than just paintings in there," Ren spoke up.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then let's try looking around," Morgana suggested. "Racking our brains here won't do us any good."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Right," Ryuji agreed. He smirked. "That aside... Ain't a museum a must for phantom thieves?!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't get cocky, Skull," Ren warned. "There are probably traps too."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah," Ryuji reluctantly agreed. "All those old man's fans were super strong and all."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That has nothing to do with this," Morgana pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But man, just look at that insane crowd...“ Ryuji sighed, noticing the long line outside the museum. "It'll take forever to get in if we wait there!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't be stupid," Morgana scolded. "We're not going in the front door."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But there's a high wall around the building..." Ann pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's too easy!" Pixie bragged, referring to her wings.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"For you, maybe," Morgana replied. "We can't fly."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What, you expect me to carry you guys?" Pixie assumed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maybe not," Ren answered. "There might be a way for us to get in just on foot."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now that's our Joker," Morgana praised. "I feel the same."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Getting into the museum turned out to be rather easy. Thanks to a conveniently-placed truck and a nearby garden, they were able to sneak onto the Palace's roof. As for how to get into the building, Morgana, being the team's tool specialist, had a rope to help them drop down from a skylight. Sure enough, the room they entered was full of paintings...and without any guards nearby.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's quiet in here," Morgana noted. "Almost eerily so."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann looked around the room. "H-Hey... This..." she stammered, seeing the unusual paintings. "It's...moving..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"C'mon, we're in a Palace," Ryuji reassured. "That ain't anything to be freakin' out over."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie flew over to one of the paintings out of curiosity. "It's just a picture of some guy," she commented. She hovered down to the painting's plaque. "'Kyou Arai, 27'..." She scoffed. "Some name for a painting."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The others approached the painting as well. "Pixie, that's someone's name and age!" Ryuji realized. "What the hell?!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I...think it's the artist's name," Ann guessed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Morgana remained silent, Ren looked around the room. The blurry colors and ambiguous background... This particular artstyle reminded him of Secret Desires. It was painted in the exact same way, much like Madarame's other earlier artwork. This felt like the artstyle his mother admired, but why were these paintings of random people?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We have to keep going," Ren ordered. "I think there's a pattern to these paintings."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, the team proceeded to explore each room. All they saw was more than less the same, paintings of random people with their names and ages listed on plaques. After a while, they came across a painting that was all-too familiar.</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ain't this that guy we saw in Mementos?" Ryuji checked. "Y'know, the one who was shit-talkin' Madarame..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie flew over to the plaque. "Natsuhiko Nakanohara, 32," she read. "I get that he was angry at Madarame, but he never explained why."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What I don't get is why his name's written under it," Ryuji said.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're right..." Ann realized. "Doesn't art usually have like, the title of the piece or the artist's name?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hm... This is quite the mystery..." Morgana commented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As for Ren, he simply looked at the painting with a furrowed expression. "We have to keep going," he decided. "If my suspicions are correct, then he should be here."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What 'he'?" Pixie asked. But Ren didn't respond. He simply continued walking around, checking each painting.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily for Ren, he and the others didn't have to search for much longer. Because at the other end of the room, they saw another painting of a familiar face.</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, isn't this a painting of that guy?" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie flew over to the plaque. "Yusuke Kitagawa, 16," she read. "I don't know what he looks like, but the name sounds familiar."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realization dawned on Ann. "Wait a second..." she muttered. "What do you think these paintings are, Joker?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Madarame's pupils," Ren explained. "I had a suspicion with the whole talk on plagiarism, but these paintings confirm it. Every time he reveals one of his pupil's painting under his name, it's like he's putting those people on display."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"For real?" Ryuji asked. "All of them? But it was only Yusuke when we went to his place before..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Probably because everyone else no longer lives there," Ren guessed. "Kitagawa-san is the only one left. That should be good enough proof to change Madarame's heart."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not yet," Morgana disagreed. "We need something to further confirm our deductions."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This isn't good enough proof?" Ren asked, gesturing to Yusuke's painting. "I already said this feels like he's putting his own pupils on display."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can sense something further in," Morgana explained. "Trust me on this one."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">For a while, not much happened. They came across half of a map to the Palace in what looked like a lobby, but that was it. While that meant they had to find the second half of the map, it was a good start for now. At the moment, they had to focus on continuing their investigation...which didn't take too long when they found a large gold statue in the next room.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Look at this!" Morgana exclaimed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The Infinite Spring?" Ann read. "'A conglomerate work of art that the great director Madarame created with his own funds. These individuals must offer their ideas to the director for the rest of their lives. Those who cannot do so have no worth living.'"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Was this what you sensed, Mona?" Ren checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana nodded in response. "This must be describing the plagiarism," he replied.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Dammit, what a phony geezer!" Ryuji exclaimed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In other words, his pupils are his property," Morgana continued. "He doesn't even qualify as an artist if this is true. He's stealing the ideas from talented students in exchange for securing their livelihood."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But still...this contradicts with what my mom said about him," Ren chimed in. "The Madarame she remembers is modest and cares about expressing his art to the world. He's not seeking fame."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Face it, Joker," Morgana replied. "That Madarame is long gone. The man you spoke to at the exhibit might look like the same talented hand painter, but those aren't his true colors. He will keep his pupils around as long as they're useful to him, but the moment they’re not..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He tosses them aside like trash," Pixie finished.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why's Yusuke keepin' quiet about this?" Ryuji wondered. "He's got no reason to cover this up!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He did say that he owes Madarame his life for being taken in..." Ann replied.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But still...!" Ryuji shouted.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"When we were at the exhibit, I praised one of the pieces on display," Ann recalled. "But...Kitagawa-kun acted strange. Maybe that piece was plagiarized too..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So I was right," Ren said. "All of this is proof that we have to change Madarame's heart." He frowned slightly. "But my mom... She treasures Secret Desires. I can't imagine how devastated she'll get once he confesses."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait a sec," Morgana spoke up. "We should confirm these facts with Yusuke first."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah," Ann agreed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Confirm what, though?!" Ryuji shouted.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It means we should get solid evidence that such crimes actually took place," Morgana clarified.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What a pain in the ass..." Ryuji groaned.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Besides, there's too much we don't know about present-day Madarame," Morgana pointed out. "Joker already knows about his past actions, but that probably won't be useful to us."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're right," Ann replied. "I'll try contacting Kitagawa-kun. I might be able to get the truth out of him if I accept his modeling offer."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait, you're gonna do that?!" Morgana panicked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Calm down, Mona," Pixie said. "It's not like we have any other options."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You all better come with me, okay?" Ann insisted. "I'm scared to go alone..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren walked over to Ann and calmly placed his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Panther," he reassured. "We won't leave your side."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks, Joker," Ann replied with a calm smile.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0048"><h2>48. Yusuke's Model Request</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ann decides to model for Yusuke in order to confirm Madarame's abuse-related rumors.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That evening, Ren went to the bathhouse for his usual nighttime bathing. As he did so, Pixie spoke for him in a group chat, all while Morgana read the texts as he waited for the dark-haired teen to finish up.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Would you really forgive someone unconditionally if you owe them your life to them? I'm not so sure anymore.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What're you bringing this up for?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Do you actually feel bad for that Yusuke guy?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sort of. According to Kitagawa-kun, Madarame isn't a problem.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Excuse me? Did you not see those paintings and that weird statue? He's clearly a problem!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I mean, I know Madarame is a bad person, but still... Maybe I'm so hesitant because I haven't actually met any of his victims.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sigh... If Ren wasn't bathing right now, he would probably say something like 'don't let a repeat of that Shiho Suzui girl happen'.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana looked alarmed. "You're bringing that up in front of Lady Ann?!" he hissed.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Oh, come on! We all know that's what he would say! I'm only speaking for him while he's in the bathhouse.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Did Morgana say something?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, he didn't like what I said about your friend.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Still, we don't know anyone who suffered from Madarame. I guess that part's totally different from what happened with Kamoshida.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">This might be an extreme line of thinking, but if an evil person isn't causing any trouble now, is there really a point in us stepping in?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You're the only who said that painting at the exhibit was probably plagiarized. It might be a crazy guess, but given how you said Yusuke acted strange, it must have been his own work on display. I'm guessing he's plagiarizing his ideas too.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Pixie's right. I ain't gonna let Yusuke decide if Madarame's worth going after or not! If it were me, I'd never forgive that bastard!</span></p><p class="p2">"Still... Lady Ann might be right," Morgana reluctantly said. "We should ask Yusuke himself if that's true, just in case."</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Groan! The cat-who's-not-a-cat agrees with you, Ann.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Thanks Morgana. I'm glad you agree with me. Okay. Let's meet in Shibuya after school tomorrow.</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">"I must thank you, Yusuke. That painting you made a few nights ago became quite a success. It might just be your greatest work yet."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you, Sensei."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"However, there was quite a pattern with what the attendees said. They all described it as representing the painter's anger. Tell me... What might you be angry about?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...I-It's nothing."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You don't have to hide anything from me. I can tell this was made during that night."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I must not remind you again, Yusuke. An artist should never let anything cover their eyes while they paint. That includes hair. So are you going to schedule an appointment...or must I take care of this myself?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sensei, please! I-I'll schedule one as soon as I can!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That better be the case, my dear boy. I cannot let you fall victims to such sins."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't understand. Why was Sensei-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No... That can't be it..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm..."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">The next day, Ann informed the others that she accepted Yusuke's offer. Despite having a part-time career as a model, she wasn't quite sure what the bluenette had in mind for his artwork. Ren reassured her to be herself, which helped her calm down a bit. Of course, they talked about it during class, so they had to continue the conversation after school at the courtyard.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I got a response from Kitagawa-kun," Ann reported. "He said he wants me to come over after school today."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Perfect!" Ryuji replied. "Probably dropped all his plans just to get you over there."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Don't forget the mission," Ren reminded Ann. "We have to confirm from Kitagawa-san if what we saw in the Palace is true."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, quiet down," Morgana warned. "It's that student council president."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sure enough, Makoto was nearby, talking to Mishima. "Yikes..." Ryuji muttered. "She got a hold of Mishima today? It's suck if she noticed us."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We should continue our conversation at the usual place," Ren decided.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Over at the karaoke bar, the team resumed discussing their plan. "You know, something's been on my mind," Ann said. "Don't you think Kitagawa-kun has o be protecting Madarame? I mean, they live together, so he'd have to be aware of Madarame's true nature. The only reason I can think of him doing that is that Madarame has something on him..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean...like a bribe or a threat?" Ren guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But that's why we're goin' to check it out, right?" Ryuji reminded the others. "You ready to be a model?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, I'm prepared," Ann answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That response confused Ryuji. "Whaddya mean prepared?" he checked. "Prepared for what?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren, on the other hand, wasn't confused at all. "You got this, Ann," he encouraged. "Show off that model confidence of yours."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's not really a big deal," Ann replied, sounding a bit modest. "Once Kitagawa-kun finishes drawing and gets a little friendlier, we should bring up Madarame."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Over at Madarame's residence, Yusuke seemed somewhat bothered by the additional company. "I thought it would just be you coming, Takamaki-san," he spoke in a cold tone.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wouldn't you get nervous too, if it was just the two of us?" Ann pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji glared at Yusuke. "We're here to keep an eye on you, so don't try anything perver-" He was interrupted with an elbow-nudge courtesy of Ren, who nervously cleared his throat.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Stop making such odd assumptions," Yusuke dismissed, tucking his hair behind his ear. "I have absolutely no interest in her as someone who is simply an ordinary woman."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh?" Ann muttered. She was confused by Yusuke's odd choice of wording.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is there a problem?" Yusuke asked Ann.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, not really," Ann lied. Was it just her, or was Yusuke acting different than usual?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well then, let's get started," Yusuke decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed was an uncomfortable amount of silence. Once Ann got in position, Yusuke proceeded to sketch her. As he sketched, Ann tried to make small talk, but he was too focused on his work to even respond. Even Ren and Ryuji joined in, which resulted in the same outcome.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This isn't what we planned!" Morgana whispered. "We were gonna catch him off guard and make him spill the beans, weren't we?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"It's no use..." Ren sighed. "He's caught up in his artwork that he won't listen to us."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Guess we just gotta wait 'til he's done..." Ryuji realized. "What an effin' pain in the ass..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana hopped out of Ren's bag. "Perhaps I should try going outside the room..." he decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fine, but don't get caught," Ren warned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana let out a small chuckle. "Who do you think you're talking to?" he asked with a flick of his tail. "I'm going to scout around a bit and come back here before Yusuke realizes I was gone."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A few minutes passed since Morgana left. At that point, Yusuke let out a frustrated sigh. "Are you done?" Ryuji asked, hoping he could finally leave.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's no good..." Yusuke admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sorry..." Ann apologized. "Am I the problem?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, not at all," Yusuke answered. "It's just... I can't paint a nude portrait while you're still wearing clothes."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For those of you who don’t know, the Persona 5 anime removed the whole blackmail bit. Since I’m using elements from both Royal and the anime, I will be using mostly anime references during this part of the Madarame Arc.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0049"><h2>49. A Chance Encounter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With the modeling a bust, the team continues their original plan of changing Madarame’s heart.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait, nude?!" Ann panicked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What is wrong with you?!" Ryuji angrily shouted. "Are you some kinda pervert?!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke turned to face Ren and Ryuji. "You're still here," the bluenette noticed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And it's a good thing, apparently!" Ryuji spat out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren, on the other hand, reacted in a calm manner. "There's actually another reason why we came to see you," he explained. "We wanted to ask you about Madarame."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This again..." Yusuke sighed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Stop lying to us!" Ryuji demanded. "Your sensei is effin' crazy and you know it! He treats his pupils like tools! That's why he doesn't care if he steals their work or abuses them! Tell us the truth!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I told you-" Yusuke started to say.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's been bothering me since that day," Ann interrupted. "At the exhibit, there was one painting you tried to steer me away from. It always bothered me, how you were able to speak that way of a painting by the teacher you respect so much. But...the truth is... You painted that, didn't you?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's..." Yusuke muttered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I knew it," Ann realized. "So...you couldn't go against him, because you feel you owe him."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Kitagawa-san, we can help," Ren offered. "You don't have to keep hiding your problems. We just want to step in before something bad happens to you."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Stop it..." Yusuke insisted. "It's as you all say. We're...our sensei's 'artwork'. Don't misunderstand me though. I offered my ideas to him myself. As such, it can't be called plagiarism. Sensei is simply suffering from artist's block right now. If he can just get past it, I'm sure he'll-"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's exactly the kinda crap he'd say to justify what he's doing to you!" Ryuji interrupted. "Everyone else has run off by now! So...why are you still working for this old dirtbag?!"</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's wrong with a student trying to help his master?!" Yusuke shouted, his hair falling into his face as he spoke. "No one here is the victim of anything! Don't you lecture me about what's right!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's the matter with you?!" Ryuji demanded.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Instead of responding, Yusuke averted his eyes away from the others. "Leave now," he ordered. "And don't come back again."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hold it!" Ryuji disagreed. "We're not done-"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's enough, Ryuji," Ren interrupted. He walked over to the door. "There's no point arguing with him further." When he opened the door, a certain not-cat finally returned.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh? Is she done being a model?" Morgana checked.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Outside the shack, the three teens discussed their next plan. "I don't think he'll talk to us again," Ann pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji let out a frustrated sigh. "What's that guy's problem?" he wondered. "Why's he so damn stubborn? Doesn't he know he's a victim?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maybe...it's what he said before," Ann guessed. "How Madarame took him in when he had no family."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"O-Okay, but still..." Ryuji replied.</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It might not be as simple as we think," Ren spoke up. "I could tell there was something Kitagawa-san might be hiding from us, especially once you brought up his painting, Ann." He heard a notification beep from his phone.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Are you saying Yusuke might be just like you?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't know," Ren admitted. "But ever since we first met, I noticed there was something off about him. If I can figure out why, we might be able to get more information from him."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's there to figure out?" Ryuji asked. "Madarame's no different from Kamoshida. That asshole's usin' Yusuke, who doesn't have parents."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It is frustrating to leave this alone, even if Kitagawa-kun is fine with it himself..." Ann agreed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You can't leave it be because you've endured a lot yourself, with Kamoshida," Morgana assumed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah," Ann confirmed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">So what now?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We should go after Madarame as soon as we can," Ren decided. "If we just let things be, Kitagawa-san will most likely end up like us." He pushed up his glasses. "First we need to focus on our main mission and look into Madarame himself. We should be able to infiltrate his Palace while the exhibit is going on. I suggest we continue with that after school tomorrow."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, they were approached by a woman wearing a black t-shirt and orange sunglasses. "Hey, can I talk to you kids for a sec?" she asked. "From the looks of things, you don't seem like the ordinary, stalker fans."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Excuse me?" Ren asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, sorry," the woman apologized. "I should've been more clear. I'm looking for people that know Madarame's pupils. There's this painting, Sayuri, that was supposedly stolen in the past. But there's this rumor that it was taken by one of his pupils in retaliation for being abused. Have you heard anything about that?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm afraid not," Ren answered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." the woman commented. "There's no case unless there's a victim. And if there's no proof of abuse, I can't write either." She sighed. "Looks like I'm back to square one. Sorry for taking your time." She walked over to Ren and gave him a business card. "I'm a journalist. If you ever get any leads, mind contacting me here? I normally spend my spare time at Crossroads, so feel free to stop by in case you find some new info."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the woman walked off, Ryuji looked a bit concerned. "Was is it?" Ren asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She said Crossroads..." Ryuji pointed out. "That's the bar in Shinjuku."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's wrong with that?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I never went there myself, but I heard Shinjuku is dangerous for high school students," Ann explained. "There are rumors about people being dragged into shady business and getting drugged by club hosts."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It doesn't hurt to hold on to her number," Ren decided. "She might have some useful information."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When Ren returned to LeBlanc, he decided to help out Sojiro. But before he could get set up, he received an unexpected phone call from the team's self-proclaimed manager.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, it's me," Mishima said. "Got a minute?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just make it quick," Ren replied. "I have plans for the evening."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay, so listen to this," Mishima continued. "Someone who received a change of heart contacted me on the Phan-Site. Said he wants to meet with you to discuss another person who needs a change of heart."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why tell me?" Ren wondered as he put on his work apron.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Do you really have to ask?" Mishima asked in response. "Anyway, you're better off talking to him in person if you want specifics. All I know is his target is a terrible person and that it might complicate things if he posted the name online."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So how can we meet up with him?" Ren checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll have him wait for you at Shibuya Station after school," Mishima explained. "The guy's name is Nakanohara. I also decided on the sign, so give my regards to the Phantom Thieves of Hearts."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What sign?" Ren asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A coffee cup marked with a star," Mishima answered. "Good luck."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, Nakanohara arrived at Shibuya Station with a star-marked coffee cup. He wasn't sure why he had to carry it, but the creator of the Phan-Site insisted it was important. Apparently it was to help identify him to the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, but he wasn't even sure what they look like-</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Natsuhiko Nakanohara."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While he was initially surprised by the deep voice, he heard it coming from just around the corner, so he attempted to see who spoke...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't move."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...but that was clearly out of the question, so he stayed put.</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who do you want to have a change of heart?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Taking a deep breath, Nakanohara proceeded to tell his tale to the mysterious stranger. "I'm sure you've heard the name before. An artist by the name of Madarame. I'm one of his former pupils. He gave me lodging at his home, where I thought only about art. I genuinely wanted to be an artist. There was another pupil as well. A very talented man, multiple years my senior. Obviously Madarame kept tabs on him. Everything he made was claimed as a Madarame original. He wasn't the only victim though...</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In response to Madarame's actions, that senior pupil committed suicide. He must have been unable to bear seeing his work printed under Madarame's name. That was when I disobeyed his orders and left, but he quickly pressured other parts of the art world, and my life as a painter was destroyed. I tried to turn over a new leaf working at a ward office...but it was no use. My attachment to art warped my emotions. Soon I began getting attached to everything. In the end, I even turned into a stalker. I'd like to ask again. Please, make Madarame have a change of heart. </span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not only for me. It's to save the life of a young man as well. Even now, he still remains under Madarame's tutelage. Not only is he a talented painted, he also owes Madarame for taking him in after his mother passed. I actually spoke to him a few times, back when I was still living at Madarame's. I asked him if he found it painful to stay with Madarame...and you know what he said? 'If I could leave, I would'. I have no right to say this given my prior cowardice, but I don't want to see another suicide. I'd like to find a way to save this young man. He has a bright future ahead of him. Please consider that when thinking about changing Madarame's heart."</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I will," the mysterious stranger replied. "Thank you for the information."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0050"><h2>50. A Chilly Encounter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The infiltration continues...with a surprise encounter.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After the meeting with Nakanohara, the team met up at the karaoke bar to discuss the next part in their plan. "We've been asked to act directly on behalf of one of Madarame's victims," Morgana recapped. "It sounds like we don't have the time to deliberate whether or not to change Madarame's heart."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I agree," Ren replied. "Let's save Kitagawa-san."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Hell yeah!" Ryuji agreed. "Madarame's just a piece of shit who preys on the weak!"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Suicide..." Ann muttered. "I'll never let something like that happen! Plus, we finally got to hear how Kitagawa-kun really feels!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We all saw that Palace," Morgana spoke up. "We'll pay dearly if we assume it's just going to be like the last one."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But it should be the same as with Kamoshida's Palace," Ren pointed out. "We just need to secure an infiltration route, send out a calling card, and steal the materialized treasure."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Madarame doesn't know that we were doin' stuff in the Palace yet," Ryuji recalled. "Why are we already gettin' treated like criminals in there?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're learning, Ryuji. Well done," Morgana praised. "It must be because he doesn't trust anyone. Any unknown person may as well be an enemy."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Or maybe he's just super salty from all those rumors that have been spreading about him..." Ann guessed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then his Palace bein' so crazy had nothing to do with us?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Either way, we should stay on our best behavior," Morgana advised. "It'll be harder for us to steal the treasure if we needlessly increase the security level."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, what is Madarame's treasure going to look like anyway?" Ann wondered. "Another crown?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'd doubt that," Morgana bluntly answered. "But my sixth sense will know when I see it."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh yeah," Ryuji remembered. "You go completely nuts, huh?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took out his phone upon hearing a notification beep.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Meow! Lol!</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's not funny!" Morgana protested.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Eye roll... Whatever you say, kitty-boy.</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Our time limit is when the exhibit ends, right?" Ann checked. "That means... June 5th."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response. "Then we should head back in right away," he decided. "Today is May 18th. That should give us enough time to steal the treasure."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But we shouldn't rush it like we did with Kamoshida," Morgana suggested. "You weren't in your right mind."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Yeah, why're you eager to infiltrate this time?" Ryuji asked.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't want to wait until the last minute," Ren answered. "It's better to steal the treasure as soon as possible."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, if you say so..." Morgana sighed.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">At the Palace, the team began their infiltration. Yet when they arrived at their usual entrance, they noticed the doorway was blocked by lasers. Naturally this was bound to be an obstacle for them.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Lasers?!" Ryuji exclaimed. "There wasn't anything like this last time!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The rumors might slowly be making Madarame become more wary of us..." Morgana guessed. He looked over at Ren. "Joker! They're not easy to see, but you should be able to do it with your skills. Be careful!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I know, Mona," Ren replied. He then proceeded to slide under lasers with ease with the others doing the same thing.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After that, not much happened. The only main difference was the increased number of Shadows guarding the Palace, which they took out with ease. Yet while Morgana, Ryuji, and Ann could easily whip out their respected Personas when dealing with stronger Shadows, Ren still had the issue of summoning Arsene. While taking off his mask was now easy to do, the winged Persona kept on flickering during combat, with the random occurrence of disappearing mid-combat all of a sudden. So naturally the dark-haired teen mostly resorted to fighting with his knife and gun, which also proved to be useful for strengthening his body. As for Pixie, she continued to heal the four Persona wielders.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once the team walked past the Infinite Spring, they entered unknown territory. For a while, not much happened aside from fighting Shadows, dodging lasers, and finding safe rooms to rest in. There were also more paintings of people on display, presumably more of Madarame's pupils, but that was to be expected given their first visit. They were also able to explore various floors in the Palace thanks to their grappling hooks. But since a lot of that stuff is a bit repetitive, I'll just skip over to the more exciting parts of the infiltration, such as when they came across a gold vase on display.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"H-Hey, wait a second!" Morgana exclaimed. "You're just gonna ignore that golden sheen?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's not relevant to the mission," Ren pointed out. "Now let's continue with-"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Look at that luster..." Morgana purred, staring fondly at the vase. "I know it might be tough to take with us, but don't you think it'd sell for tons?" He hopped onto the vase's podium.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"C'mon, we didn't come here to-" Ryuji started to say, but he noticed something underneath the not-cat's foot. "Hold on, you're steppin' on something!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Isn't this bad?!" Ann asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Don't make any sudden movements," Ren warned. "Just slowly climb down and-"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But unfortunately, lasers surrounded all four Persona wielders. "Oh no, I tripped the security!" Morgana realized.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji groaned in frustration. "And you were the one makin' us be careful too..." he pointed out. "So, whaddya wanna do? Run outta here?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That would only make things worse," Ren answered. "If we try to leave this area, we'll only get surrounded by enemy Shadows."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well sucks to be you!" Pixie teased, flying outsider the laser area-</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Wait a sec...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, hold on!" Ann exclaimed. "Pixie's not trapped!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well that's obvious," Pixie stated. "You want me to deactivate the lasers?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes!" Morgana panicked. "This is a museum, so there has to be some switch to let the workers avoid these lasers. Find it!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, alright..." Pixie sighed. With that, she flew off in hopes of finding this switch.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">A while later, Pixie was able to reach a control room after crawling through a nearby vent. But upon checking one of the computers, she noticed it needed a password. Figuring there was at least one guard who knew the password, she decided to snoop around. But she didn't have to snoop for a long time because she just so happened to come across two Shadows discussing stuff, so she eavesdropped on their conversation.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, did you hear about those intruders?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, you mean the thieves sneaking around in here? I got a call telling me to change the password, just in case."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And? What did you change it to?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hello."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Huh?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I said, hello! 07734. If you read the numbers upside-down, they spell out the word 'hello'."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Isn't that a little childish?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Eh, it should be fine as long as nobody else finds out. It's not like anyone's eavesdropping on us. Anyway, don't forget. When you see the code input, be sure to say hello."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Smiling with satisfaction, Pixie proceeded to fly back to the control room, ready to input the code into the com-</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, who's there?!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing she was caught, Pixie instinctively fired a bolt of electricity at one of the guards, causing the other one to flee. The one who wasn't so lucky dissolved into black-red goop and transformed into a white snowman-shaped Shadow.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're not one of Lord Madarame's guards!" the Shadow cried out as he pointed at Pixie. "Who are you, hee-ho?!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie flew over to the Shadow and nervously shushed him. "Be quiet!" she whispered. "You're going to attract more attention if you keep shouting!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, sorry, hee-ho..." the Shadow replied. "But you didn't answer my question. Who are you, hee-ho?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm a Shadow from a different Palace," Pixie answered, quickly coming up with a clever lie. "But a group of humans destroyed it, so I decided to call this place my new home."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that so?" the Shadow asked. "Then welcome to Lord Madarame's museum, hee-ho! It's become too noisy ever since he opened his exhibit in the real world. But don't mind that, hee-ho. Let me take you to him so he can give you your new job."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait!" Pixie nervously shouted, grabbing the Shadow's arm.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Huh?” the Shadow asked. "What is it, hee-ho?"</p>
<p class="p2">"I-I'm worried how he might react if he saw me," Pixie admitted, fearing word about her betrayal passed on to other Palace rulers through the Metaverse. "Let's just keep this our little secret, okay?"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay, hee-ho!" the Shadow agreed. "Does that mean we're friends?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure, I guess," Pixie sighed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Thank you!" the Shadow cheered. "I never really had any other friends, hee-ho. It kind of feels nice- Hee?!"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is something wrong?" Pixie asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The Shadow gasped. "I remember now!" he exclaimed. "I'm not a Shadow, hee-ho! I live in the sea of the human heart! I'm Jack Frost, hee-ho!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So how do you feel about Madarame?" Pixie asked, checking to see if this was anything like what happened to her.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who cares?" Jack Frost asked in response as he shrugged. "I'm just glad I have a new friend, hee-ho!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well I have more friends," Pixie said. "Would you like to meet them?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jack Frost let out a happy gasp. "Sure thing, hee-ho!" he agreed. "Lead the way!"</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">Meanwhile, back with the other phantom thieves, the laser had finally turned off. "Pixie did it...!" Morgana realized. "We're saved!" But then his ears drooped. "I-I'm sorry... That was very much unlike me..."</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sheesh... Weren't you the one tellin' us not to go around touchin' shit in the exhibit?" Ryuji repeated.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That is true..." Morgana agreed, still eyeing the vase. "I can't believe I made such a novice mistake, even for solid gold..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Pixie flew back over...with her new friend in tow. "Just don't go setting off more traps," she told Morgana. "It's bad enough I almost got caught."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji noticed the new face. "Uh... Who's the snowman?" he asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, this is Jack Frost," Pixie explained. "Long story short, he's on our side now."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nice to meet you, hee-ho!" Jack Frost greeted with a wave. "Miss Pixie told me all about you. I can help you guys while you explore the Palace."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What can you do?" Ren asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Strengthen your ice powers," Jack Frost answered. "Oh, and absorb any freeze blasts, hee-ho!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The four Persona wielders looked at one another in concern. "What's wrong, hee-ho?" Jack Frost asked, looking curious.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"None of us have ice powers," Ann pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh," Jack Frost said. He was silent for a few seconds. "But I can still absorb freeze blasts, hee-ho."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's better than nothing," Ren decided. "Welcome to the team, Jack Frost."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0051"><h2>51. The Nude Model</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With a door preventing the Phantom Thieves of Hearts from infiltrating, they come up with a new plan of action.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the new Shadow accompanying the team, they continued their infiltration through the Palace. There was a minor setback when electrical lasers started popping up and more guards showed up, but those were easily dealt with. Eventually they came across a gaudy-looking area. Aside from the large number of lasers in the area, there was a massive door with a peacock-inspired design. Realizing there was no straightforward way to get through, they split up in hopes of finding a way in. Unfortunately, their search proved to be quite fruitless.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yo, any luck?" Ryuji asked as the team rejoined.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not yet," Ren reported. "I couldn't find any kinda switch."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I didn't find anything, either," Ann added. "I thought I could at least shut down the censors."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I came up with nothing as well," Morgana chimed in. "I checked, but I couldn't find a keyhole in the door."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie noticed a nearby sign and flew over to it. "'All personnel'," she read. "'This door can only be via the security room that lies beyond it. Please be cautious, as it is impossible to open from the outside.'" She pouted. "Well that stinks."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So, it's never gonna open?!" Ryuji assumed. "How're we supposed to get past?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Can't we open it from the inside, hee-ho?" Jack Frost innocently asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait... That door..." Morgana muttered. "I think I've seen that pattern somewhere..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"From when you were snooping around Madarame's shack?" Ren guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's right," Morgana answered. "There's no mistaking it! That's the same door I saw earlier! Guys, let's head back!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh? Why?!" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think I know what real-world door that's based on," Morgana confidently answered. "There may be another way to open it! In any case, I'll explain later! Come on, let's go!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When the team returned to the Palace's entrance, Ren ended up making a quick stop outside the Velvet Room door to speak with Justine about their new friend. Luckily she had a perfect solution to their problem. Using the book she carried, which she called the Persona Compendium, to keep track of allied Shadows. As soon as Jack Frost touched the book, he was absorbed into it with a flash of blue light. Justine asked if Pixie wanted to do the same, but she declined, wanting to stay by Ren's side...even if it meant getting sucked into his phone every time he left the Metaverse.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Over at the karaoke bar, the team discussed their next move. "How're we supposed to get past that door?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I dunno..." Ryuji sighed. "You think there's some kinda off switch somewhere?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Looks like this is where I come in," Morgana spoke up. "I have a suspicious place in mind. This shack is the basis for Madarame's Palace. Like Ren said before, I scouted it out the last time we were here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So? Where's this suspicious place?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's on the second floor," Morgana explained. "I noticed an unnaturally hefty lock on a door up there."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That means the door we saw in the Palace represents that locked door you just mentioned," Ren assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think so, too," Morgana agreed. "As we're going to do that by opening the real one in front of Madarame's eyes. Basically, we're going to change his cognition that the door is unopenable."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In other words...when we open the one in Madarame's house, that area in his Palace will open on its own?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not really gettin' it..." Ryuji admitted. "Is that gonna work?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Trust me!" Morgana insisted. "There's no chance it won't open!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Even if it does, we can't just walk in," Ren pointed out. "Remember what Kitagawa-san said? He doesn't want us to come back. And we can't snoop around in the shack. He and Madarame are the only ones living there. Hearing unknown footsteps will only get us caught."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's also that hefty lock we have to deal with in reality," Ann chimed in.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, that'll be a breeze," Morgana bragged. "Just give me a hairpin and I'll handle it. It will take some time though. Doing everything by myself in front of Madarame will be impossible. If only there was someone who could distract him for a while..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji caught on to what Morgana was implying. "Oh... Ohhh!" he exclaimed. "RenRen's right. How are we even gonna get into his house? We might get reported if we force ourselves in..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And...?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You gotta do the nude," Ryuji clarified.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"WHAT?" Ann panicked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yusuke said he couldn't paint you while you had your clothes on," Ryuji recalled. "But if you told him you'd drop trou' for him, well, that'll solve all our problems."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fancy you say that, Ryuji," Morgana agreed. "I was just thinking the same thing."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This isn't funny!" Ann shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're not sayin' you should really get naked," Ryuji clarified.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's simply the best excuse for you to enter Madarame's house without raising suspicion," Morgana added. "So we'd like for you to play the role of decoy, Lady Ann."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is way too sudden!" Ann complained. "I mean, I don't even know where the locked door is!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry, I'll accompany you," Morgana volunteered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But that's still technically only me!" Ann pointed out. "Worst comes to worst, what if I get found out?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We can run into the Palace!" Morgana suggested. "...Or something!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that really gonna work?!" Ann asked. "I mean, you're not giving me much confidence in this plan! Do I have to be the bait?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We don't have much choice!" Ryuji insisted. He looked over at Ren. "You agree with me, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Actuallly...I'll have to side with Ann on this one," Ren decided, having given time to think about their plan. "Sorry Ryuji, but I can't agree with a plan that will make one of us feel uncomfortable."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then what's your brilliant plan?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll go in Ann's place," Ren decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"WHAT?" Ryuji yelped. "You can't do that!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why not?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It ain't what he wants!" Ryuji answered. "Not to mention you getting undressed in front of another person! What if you start freakin' out?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll be fine," Ren insisted. He looked over at Ann. "You can text Kitagawa-san that you can model nude, then I'll show up at his place after school. I can tell him you were caught up in modeling and lost track of time."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you're going to be the bait instead of me?" Ann asked, starting to calm down. She let out a sigh of relief. "That I'm okay with."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You sure you can do this, RenRen?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry," Ren reassured as he pushed up his glasses. "I got this. That door will be opened in no time."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, before heading back to Madarame's shack, Ren met up with the others to go over the plan. While Ren and Morgana stalled Madarame, Ryuji and Ann were going to wait inside the Palace to find a control room to make sure the door stays open. But since it was just going to be the two of them, Ren offered to trade phones with Ryuji so they could have Pixie heal them in case they're suddenly ambushed by guards.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">So with the plan set in motion, Ren went over to the shack. While Morgana proceeded to sneak over to the door, the dark-haired teen was able to convince Yusuke to let him model nude. While the bluenette initially disagreed, he was easily convinced upon noticing Ann wouldn't answer her phone. It was finally time to put the diversion plan to action.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I didn't think I would end up having you as a model," Yusuke confessed as he set up his paints.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I volunteered to take Ann's place," Ren explained. "You probably didn't realize it, but she was uncomfortable with posing for a nude painting. But I must apologize for how she and Ryuji acted. They were taken by surprise when you mentioned 'nude' and I was trying to calm them down."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I must also apologize, for kicking you out," Yusuke replied. "I still can't believe you decided to do this."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is there something wrong with that?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, not in the slightest," Yusuke answered, carefully taking note on Ren's posture. "I find beauty in both men and women. I don't care about the model's gender as long as I am able to paint a nude portrait."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That wording surprised Ren. "Wh-What do you mean by that?" he stammered slightly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke's eyes widened as he slapped his hand over his mouth. "...Sorry," he muttered once he lowered his hand. "I was thinking of impure thoughts. Please ignore what I said."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you say so..." Ren sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"As I told you yesterday, Sensei will be returning in about twenty or thirty minutes," Yusuke said, changing topics. "So um... I'm sorry if that causes some anxiety on your part."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It won't," Ren insisted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So, then... Can you, um...get ready?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"With taking off my clothes?" Ren asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes please..." Yusuke answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Alright," Ren muttered. "Just...take off...my clothes..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But just as Ren was about to unbutton his school blazer, he noticed his hands were starting to tremble. He tried to will his mind to focus, but his body wouldn't seem to move.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is something the matter?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"N-No, I'm fine!" Ren exclaimed, his voice cracking as he shouted. Luckily he was able to unbutton and take off his blazer in a panic. He then proceeded to lower his pant suspenders and was about to take off his turtleneck when he realized something that might interfere.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His glasses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">They were still on his face.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">This realization made Ren freeze up. He got these glasses for his probation in order to blend in, but now he kind of developed a need to always wear them. They now serve as a comforting shield, since they made his supposedly piercing gaze look soft. But now...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He suddenly felt nervous to take them off in front of this handsome boy.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Especially when he was staring at him the whole time.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I'm sorry..." Ren stammered. "Can you please...just...look awa-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Yusuke was right up in his face, still staring at him. The close proximity made Ren let out a small gasp. He was...so close to him. But why?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please scoot back..." the dark-haired teen shyly muttered. "I-I can't..."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Those eyes..." Yusuke gasped. "I have never seen anything like them before..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wh-Wh-What are you...?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Without warning, Yusuke yanked off Ren's glasses with one hand and pushed his bangs back with the other hand. With that hand on his forehead, he carefully inspected his face. But as this happened, Ren could feel his face turn red as he felt his throat closing up. What was this painter even doing...?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't believe it," Yusuke said after a few seconds of silence. "How could I have been so blind? I thought Takamaki-san was my muse, but this..." He smiled softly. "I have never seen anything like this before."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"H-Huh...?" Ren nervously squeaked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Your glasses and hair conceal your true beauty," Yusuke explained. "Without those distractions, you resemble Greek sculptures from long ago. But your eyes..." He leaned closer to Ren. "I can see hurt and sorrow in them. Why is that? What caused you to experience such pain?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Unfortunately for Yusuke, Ren was unable to speak. The bluenette was too close to him and he felt his heart pounding in his chest. He tried to figure out a way out, but he felt all sense of reason leave his head. But if he had to keep the plan in action, he had to do something impulsive.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But what?</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0052"><h2>52. The Sixth Secret Keeper</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yusuke reveals a secret.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"AH!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Just as quickly as he stepped forward, Yusuke abruptly stepped back in a panic. With the bluenette's hand away from his forehead, Ren's hair fell back into place. He was glad he finally stepped back, but now he was wondering why the aspiring painter was nervous.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you...feeling alright?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What am I doing?" Yusuke nervously muttered, looking away from Ren. "I can't engage such intimacy with another man. Such behavior is a terrible sin..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You okay, Kitagawa-san?" Ren asked again.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke looked back at Ren, his hair falling into his face. "Oh... You're still here..." he realized as he tucked his hair behind his ear with a shaky hand. He held out his glasses. "I believe these are yours."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Ren said. He accepted his glasses and put them back on. "So...about the nude modeling-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please forget this ever happened," Yusuke interrupted. "You caught me committing dangerous actions. It was wrong of me to approach you like that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How come?" Ren wondered as he put his suspenders and blazer back on.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Must you know?" Yusuke asked in response. But given that Ren wasn't budging, he let out a defeated sigh. "Very well. Remember when I said I see beauty in both men and women? I meant it in every way. I have always been attracted to both sides. But loving another man is a sin, so I repress that side of myself at all costs. After all, men can only show attraction towards women, not people of the same sex."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was surprised to hear that. "I was right," he realized. "You are just like me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I beg your pardon?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're...just like me," Ren repeated.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It took a few seconds for Yusuke to get what Ren meant by that. "I see..." he muttered. "So you find beauty in both men and women as well."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, just...other guys," Ren admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's why you hesitated to strip..." Yusuke realized. He fiddled with a lock of his hair.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sensing a feeling of awkwardness in the room, Ren decided to change topics. "About your sensei..." he said. "Isn't he coming back soon?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I believe so..." Yusuke answered as he slowly lowered his hand.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maybe I should...leave," Ren decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I agree," Yusuke replied. "As I said before, please forget this ever happened. I can always forego the nude painting and work on some other masterpiece. So, shall I escort you out?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can find the exit myself," Ren answered, hoping he can use this opportunity to find the locked door.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Meanwhile, back in the Palace, Ryuji, Ann, and Pixie were waiting outside the large, gaudy door. "They seriously gonna be able to pull this off?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What, you seriously doubt Joker can get the door unlocked?" Pixie asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I remember what he said about gettin' raped," Ryuji recalled. "What if that gets him all choked up and he ends up botching the plan? Plus we ain't got one sign this place is gonna open... Isn't Madarame comin' home soon? On top of that, even if Mona's able to unlock the door, how's he gonna show it to Madarame? And then even if they do show it open, any normal person'd just close it right up again. Doesn't that mean we only got a few seconds to-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Stop worrying, Skull!" Ann interrupted. "Joker always thinks a few steps ahead. He probably knows what he's doing."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wanna think that too," Ryuji admitted. "But...it's almost time."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Back in the real world, Ren was able to find the locked door on the second floor. Unfortunately, a certain someone wasn't quite finished...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're not done?!" Ren asked. "I gave you enough time!"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's hard to do this with cat paws!" Morgana explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just hurry up!" Ren shouted. "We have to finish this before-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What are you doing?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came from Yusuke, causing Ren to panic. "That room is off-limits!" the bluenette informed. "Sensei doesn't allow anyone in there!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He doesn't?" Ren asked, trying to sound innocent. "Why is that? What makes this room so special?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's a storage room for old paintings," Yusuke answered. "But I must ask. Why are you near it? Weren't you trying to find an exit?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"About that..." Ren nervously muttered as he scratched the back of his head. "I think I got lost. This shack is pretty big."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">CLUNK!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait, did you hear that?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Hear what?" Ren asked in response. "You must be imagining things. So about the exit..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right," Yusuke replied. "Allow me to show you the way-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm home!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke froze up. "S-Sensei?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily for Ren, Morgana finished unlocking the door. "All right, it's open!" he cheered as he ran into the room.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Madarame walked over to the two teens and was in alarmed with what he saw. "Yusuke?! What are you doing there?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-It's not what it looks like!" Yusuke stammered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Noticing Yusuke was distracted, Ren took the opportunity to grab his wrist and drag him into the storage room. Hopefully this was enough to get the door in the Palace open, but for now, he had another problem to deal with.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is bad!" Yusuke exclaimed in the poorly-lit room.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren, on the other hand, stayed calm and blindly searched for the lights. Once he got them on, there was an alarming sight in the room.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the..." Yusuke muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's Sayuri," Ren commented. "But why are there so many copies?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I have no idea..." Yusuke admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As if on cue, Madarame entered the room. "Get out!" he angrily ordered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sensei, what is the meaning of this?" Yusuke questioned as he tucked his hair behind his ear.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Madarame let out a defeated sigh. "I suppose I can't keep quiet now that you've seen this..." he said. "Truth be told, I'm in severe debt. I handmade these Sayuri copies and have been selling them through a special connection of mine.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But why?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The real Sayuri was stolen by one of my pupils long ago," Madarame answered. "I assume the begrudged my strictness. That moment was quite a shock for me. Since then, I've been mired in a terrible artist's block. Because of this distress, some of my pupils handed their ideas over to me from time to time. I knew I couldn't keep that up, so I attempted to recreate the Sayuri a number of times. However, it resulted in nothing more than replicas. That's when someone came to buy the paintings, knowing well they weren't original.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's all my fault. I couldn't pay the price of being famous. As expectations for me rose, it reached a point where I had no choice but to keep making them. I needed money to further your talents. I ask that you please forgive your cowardly teacher."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please don't...!" Yusuke muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hold on a minute," Ren spoke up. "What you said doesn't make sense."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Madarame looked at Ren in surprise. "You're that boy from my art exhibit," he remembered. "The one whose mother won one of my originals at an auction."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you finally recognize me," Ren said. "But enough of that. How could you make copies of Sayuri if the original was stolen?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was able to commit it to memory," Madarame confidently answered. "The Sayuri is one of my greatest works. I have memorized its exact brush strokes and colors."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that so?" Ren asked. He looked closely at one of the copies. "Then how come half of these are missing a few details?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I beg your pardon?" Madarame asked in surprise.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The tree and ponytail," Ren explained. "If you actually memorized how you originally painted Sayuri, those two details would have been constant in every copy. Your clients who would buy these copies would most likely notice the similarities and deem the paintings as worthless. If anything, it sounds like you're not entirely honest."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Madarame could respond, Morgana noticed a painting covered in purple cloth. Eyeing the covered painting, he sneaked over to it and proceeded to yank off the cloth with his teeth. With the painting uncovered, the truth behind the Sayuri copies was exposed.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sayuri..." Yusuke muttered. He walked over to the painting in shock. "This... This is the real Sayuri!" He looked back at Madarame. "But you just said a moment ago that it was stolen!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's just another replica," Madarame dismissed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, it's nothing of the sort!" Yusuke strongly disagreed. "This painting kept me going! It's the reason I made it this far!" He tugged on a lock of his own hair. "Sensei...don't tell me..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's fake," Madarame responded, still remaining calm. "I heard there was a counterfeit spreading around, so I bought it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why would you do that?" Ren demanded. "If you could paint Sayuri while using a memory as a reference, why would you even bother buying a fake copy?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're lying, Sensei..." Yusuke fumed. "Please just tell us the truth."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But instead of answering, Madarame took out a phone. "I'm reporting you to my private security company!" he exclaimed. "I had it set up to deal with some problematic paparazzi, but I never thought it'd come in so handy."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please, wait!" Yusuke cried out. "Let's talk about this!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You can talk all you want to the police," Madarame dismissed. "That includes you, Yusuke."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We have to leave, Ren!" Morgana exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before Ren and Morgana could leave, the dark-haired teen had a last-minute idea in mind. Before he followed the not-cat, he grabbed Yusuke's wrist and dragged him out of the room. He figured that if the bluenette would continue being stubborn over Madarame, he had to force the truth onto him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's no point!" Madarame called out. "They'll be here within two minutes!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>"Two minutes is all I need,"</em> Ren thought to himself as he took out Ryuji's phone to activate the MetaNav.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0053"><h2>53. Metamorphosis</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>When a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, it sheds its old body and breaks free from a chrysalis.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Just like Ren hoped for, he was able to take Yusuke with him to the Palace. Unfortunately, the three ended up falling from the ceiling, resulting in Morgana accidentally bonking the bluenette on the head. Luckily the place they fell from was right next to his friends.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I completed my end of the plan," Ren reported. "How about you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We were able to turn off the security system," Ann replied. Then she noticed Yusuke was with him. "Is that Kitagawa-kun?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's he doing here?!" Ryuji asked. "We never said he could tag along!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I brought him here," Ren explained. "For a good reason."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke noticed the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. "Who are you all?!" he wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Calm down, Kitagawa-kun!" Ann exclaimed. "It's me!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Those pigtails..." Yusuke muttered. "...Takamaki-san?" He looked over at Ren and Ryuji. "That means you two are..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're her friends," Ren confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"I don't recall ever seeing a tiny cat creature or a fairy before though..." Yusuke continued. "What is this place?"</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is the heart of Madarame," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"We're inside...Sensei's heart?" Yusuke asked. "I'm sorry, but are you feeling okay?"</p><p class="p2">"He ain't lyin'," Ryuji confirmed. "This is what that bastard truly feels. He's nothin' but a greed-filled money-grubber."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Enough of this rubbish!" Yusuke angrily shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Didn't it cross your mind that something wasn't right about Madarame?!" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's..." Yusuke muttered, his hand in his hair once more.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I know this is very difficult to believe, but this is another reality as viewed through Madarame's eyes," Ann insisted. "This is his true nature."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This can't be his heart!" Yusuke dismissed. "This world lacks any sense of taste! Just who are all of you?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess you could say we're a group that changes the hearts of rotten crooks," Ryuji answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If everything you say is true, then the sensei I know doesn't exist..." Yusuke muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Open your eyes, Kitagawa-san!" Ren cried out. "Your 'sensei' is using you! We're doing this to save your life!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Still...he has kept me safe these past ten years," Yusuke pointed out as he lowered his hand. "My gratitude for that won't just disappear."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"You're gonna forgive him?!" Ryuji asked. "At this rate you'll-"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Yusuke let out a loud groan as he bent over while clutching his stomach. "Are you okay?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm trying to be rational about this, but my emotions are overwhelming me..." Yusuke explained. He let out another groan. "It feels as though my head is about to split wide open..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry, but we don't have time to dawdle!" Morgana spoke up. "The security level's gone through the roof! We need to get out of here at once!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke started panting hard as he grasped his head with both hands. "My back..." he groaned. "It hurts..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Here, lean on my shoulder," Ren offered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, it's all right," Yusuke turned down. He slowly got back on his feet. "I can stand without assistance."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Great..." Pixie groaned. "What are we going to do with this guy with us?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll have to avoid combat at all costs," Ren answered. "Pixie, stay by Kitagawa-san's side in case we get ambushed."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie sighed as she flew over to Yusuke's side. "I still don't get why you brought him here..." she pouted.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">As the team (and Yusuke) walked back to the entrance, the bluenette noticed the paintings on display. "So this...is inside of Sensei's heart?" he checked, his voice cracking as he spoke. "A vain museum such as this...?" A painting of a young woman caught his eye. "Ah, this painting...!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Do you recognize it?" Ann asked. "We were thinking these might be his past pupils or something..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But...why are there paintings of them here?" Yusuke wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's the plagiarism," Ren clarified. "Every time Madarame releases one of his pupils' paintings to the public under his name, it's almost like he's putting those same pupils on display. We also came across your own painting in a different area."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll talk more later," Morgana pointed out. "For now, let's get out of here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But by the time the group reached the Infinity Spring room, they were instantly surrounded by a large number of guards. Worse, they weren't alone. Accompanying them was a pale man wearing a gold-colored robe. Despite the gaudy makeup, there was no doubt about it. This was Madarame's Shadow self.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Welcome to the museum of the master artist Madarame,"</strong> he happily greeted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sensei?" Yusuke asked. "Is that you? That attire..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Disgusting," Ann spat out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This... This is all one big lie, isn't it?" Yusuke checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"My usual ragged attire is nothing but an act,"</strong> Madarame explained. <strong>"Besides, a famous person living in that shack? I have another home under a mistress' name, of course."</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If the Sayuri was stolen, why was it in the storage room?" Yusuke asked. "And if you had the real one, why make copies? If it's really you, Sensei...please tell me!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Foolish child,"</strong> Madarame taunted. <strong>"You still don't see? The painting being stolen was just a false rumor I spread! It was all a perfectly calculated staging!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you mean?!" Yusuke gasped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Let me see... How does this sound?"</strong> Madarame continued. <strong>"I found the real painting, but it can't go public. You can have it for a special price, though."</strong> He laughed. <strong>"How's that for preferential treatment?! Art snobs'll eat it up, and pay good cash at that! The value of heart is purely illusion. What's the matter with providing that illusion to eager customers? Though I doubt a brat like you would ever come up with such a brilliant scheme!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You keep goin' on and on about money this, money that..." Ryuji said. "No wonder you ended up with this disgusting museum!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke clutched his chest in pain. "I don't believe it..." he denied. "Sayuri was everything to me... I chose this life after being captivated by that work. Answer me! Why have you forgotten true art?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"What do you know about art?!"</strong> Madarame asked in response. <strong>"I shall put an end to this arrogant nonsense for good!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As more guards materialized from the Infinite Spring, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts sprung into action. The guards didn't dissolve into Shadows, so they were easily taken care of through physical combat and guns. Unfortunately, as the battle dragged on, more and more guards emerged from the statue. It didn't take long until the group was overwhelmed. Worse, Yusuke ended up getting captured by one of the guards.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"That's enough!"</strong> Madarame demanded. <strong>"Put down your weapons!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let him go, Madarame!" Ren demanded, aiming his gun at the corrupted Shadow.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"It's not too late to come back, Yusuke,"</strong> Madarame told the bluenette. <strong>"If you do it now, I'll forget this ever happened."</strong> He proceeded to gently caress the aspiring artist's hair, causing him to freeze up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No..." Yusuke whispered. "Please don't..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"You know you're better than these uncultured swines,"</strong> Madarame continued. <strong>"Come now, you're my prized cash cow!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke let out a choked gasp. <strong>"Did you really think I would take you into my home out of the goodness of my heart?"</strong> Madarame asked, still caressing the dark blue stands of hair. <strong>"I took you in to exploit your talent, to harvest the fruit, to raise you like livestock whose only purpose is to be led to the slaughter. You're a fool!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Upon hearing that, Yusuke swatted Madarame's hand away from his hair. "How many lives have you destroyed?" the teen asked as tears fell down his face. "How many dreams have you auctioned off?! Damn you! I'll never forgive you for this!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">SMACK!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"You dare bite the hand that's fed you all these years?!"</strong> Madarame angrily asked. <strong>"You ungrateful swine!"</strong></span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wanted so hard to believe that it wasn't true," Yusuke admitted. "I clouded my vision for so long. I was blind, my eyes unable to see the truth. The truth behind this horrible man!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Yusuke's eyes turned yellow as he gasped in pain. While he was still restrained, his body twitched and wiggled in pain as he screamed. Eventually he became still as blood started dripping from his fingertips. As if he was guided by a voice in his head, he lifted his left hand and grasped onto his face, all while the blood spread throughout his skin and formed an outline. Then, with a large gust of wind, the guard restraining him was knocked back as a white and red fox-shaped mask appeared on his face.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Very well..." Yusuke said. He slowly lifted his hand up to the mask.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Come, Goemon!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When the mask was torn off, blue flames swirled around Yusuke and encased him within a blue shell-like shape. A split second later, white lights resembling butterfly wings broke through the shell, causing it to shatter and reveal Yusuke's new look, which looked drastically different than his original attire. His hair was longer with a loose braid hanging near the left side of his face. His outfit resembled an elegant dark blue kimono with silver butterflies on the silk fabric. He also wore light blue gloves and a white and red-striped ribbon that reached the floor and resembled six tails. There was also the sudden appearance of makeup, which consisted of dark blue eyeshadow and pale pink lipstick.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But that wasn't the only thing that had changed. Standing behind Yusuke was his Persona, which resembled a traditional Japanese elder on wooden stilts. When the bluenette stretched out his arms in a fighting stance, the Persona copied his movements. He had finally awaken to his true power.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A breathtaking sight..." Yusuke said, speaking in a slight feminine tone. "Imitations they may be, but together, they make a fine spectacle... Though the flowers of evil blossom, be it known... Abominations are fated to perish!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, Goemon released an icy blast throughout the whole room, freezing every guard in the room, including the Infinite Spring, preventing even more guards from surfacing as well.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whoa, this is impressive!" Morgana complimented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"You mock my beautiful creations?!"</strong> Madarame shouted. <strong>"The price for your insolence will be death!"</strong> With that, Shadows materialized into the room.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren looked over at Yusuke. "You got this?" the dark-haired teen asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course," Yusuke answered, happy to be free from Madarame's grasp. "In order to see authenticity, one must be dispassionately realistic. With Goemon by my side, I can now ascertain my former sensei's true self without any reservations!"</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The reference for Yusuke’s hair while in the Metaverse: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/megamitensei/images/8/8d/YusukeArt3.png/revision/latest?cb=20170329141542</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0054"><h2>54. A Woman</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A new phantom thief joins the team.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With Yusuke able to fight back, the tables had turned in favor of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Most of the Shadows that were summoned by Madarame were weak to ice, so it took a few icy gusts of wind to weaken them for the team to attack all at once. Granted the newcomer had a hard time dealing with large amounts of physical attacks, but Pixie was able to make up for that by healing him. By the time all the Shadows were defeated, Madarame was not impressed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Yusuke, you've just thrown your bright future down the drain,"</strong> the gold-clad Shadow said. <strong>"I'll destroy every chance you've ever had of becoming an artist!"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Madarame!" Yusuke cried out as he watched the elder leave the room. He tried to follow him, but a single footstep led to him collapsing. "Get...back here!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Kitagawa-kun!" Ann cried out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why can't I move?!" Yusuke wondered. With his kimono slightly parted near his feet, his shoes were revealed to be white heeled ankle boots.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Calm down," Ren advised. "You just summoned your Persona for the first time. You need to rest before you can fight again."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What a disgrace I am!" Yusuke scolded as he clutched his heart in shame. Then his eyes widened in shock. "When did I change?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You just noticed that now?" Ryuji asked in response. "Our clothes changed when we got our Personas. It's kinda normal."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that so?" Yusuke questioned. "Does that mean your bodies change as well?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana looked surprised. "Not for the others," he answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." Yusuke commented. "Then...do you know where the nearest restroom is? There's something I must check."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, the team waited outside the bathroom for Yusuke. For a while, things were quiet until...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"WHAT IS THIS?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you okay in there?" Ren asked Yusuke. "You want me to come in."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"N-No, I'm fine!" Yusuke replied. "Just somewhat confused!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A few minutes later, the bluenette left the men's room looking a bit unsure about something. "Would someone please explain why I look like this?" he questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's your heart's rebellious spirit," Morgana explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is it now?" Yusuke asked. "And I thought discovering this terrible place was bad enough.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You've know for quite some time, haven't you?" Ann asked, changing topics.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm no fool," Yusuke confessed. "Strange people have been coming by for years, and the plagiarism was an everyday affair. But...who would want to admit that the man they owed their life to was doing such terrible things?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that why you didn't leave?" Pixie checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In a way," Yusuke clarified. "He is the one who painted the Sayuri. On top of that, I owe him a great debt."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean 'cause he raised you?" Ryuji guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I...never knew my father," Yusuke revealed. "I was told my mother raised me by herself, but she died in an accident when I was three. That's when Sensei took me in. I heard he helped my mother while she was still alive. But to be honest, I don't remember much about her either. I did everything I could for Sensei. I thought of him as a father...but he changed. To think he would treat the Sayuri, the very foundation of his art, like that!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren frowned at that comment. Something didn't seem quite right about that statement, especially since he knew Sayuri was the start of Madarame's experimental phase...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A lot's happened to you, huh?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"When you had mentioned plagiarism...deep down I knew you were right," Yusuke admitted. "That's why I so vehemently denied you... I was simply running from the truth. I'm sorry."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You don't have to apologize," Ren replied. "I understand what you were going through."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that so?" Yusuke asked. "Does that have to do with your attraction towards beauty within other men?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sort of," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke smiled softly. "I'm grateful for the chance to face what I have been denying all this time," he said. "Maybe this means I can now figure out why I have felt strange for quite some time."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that what you're going to do now?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, but about the plagiarism..." Yusuke answered, still a bit unsure.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We can't help the fact that Madarame's gone and changed," Ryuji spoke up. "But we can change his heart. We'll make him pay for his crimes."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That reminds me, you mentioned something about that 'change of heart' earlier..." Yusuke recalled. "Don't tell me... Are you...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're the Phantom Thieves of Hearts," Ren revealed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, a large group of guards materialized into the area. "Oh crap!" Ryuji exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll talk later!" Morgana decided. "We need to scram!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After leaving the Palace, the team stopped by the diner. There, they proceeded to Yusuke about everything that had happen so far. Once they were finished, he seemed satisfied with their explanation.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see," Yusuke said. "And because of that, this PE teacher's had a change of heart. The phantom thieves who steal hearts... To think they truly exist."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're right in front of you," Ren confirmed. "It might be hard to believe at first, but it's true."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Indeed," Yusuke agreed. "I have to believe your words. Especially after seeing a world like that... So your plan with Madarame-sensei- I mean...with Madarame is to force a change of heart, correct?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pretty much," Ren confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then...that means it's finally over," Yusuke blurted out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...What is?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh...it's nothing..." Yusuke shyly muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Does this have to do with you asking if our bodies change in the Metaverse?" Ann checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke remained silent. "It's alright," Ren reassured. "You can tell us."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We won't judge," Ryuji added. "So what's this big secret of yours?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I...don't feel like a man," Yusuke confessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you mean by that?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not entirely sure when it happened," Yusuke continued. "I just know that at one point, when I was younger, I developed a sudden urge to grow out my hair. But Madarame wouldn't allow it. He forced me keep it short, saying long hair would get in my eyes while I paint. I didn't think much of it at the time, but as I got older, I developed more unnatural urges. I found myself admiring women's clothing. Not to paint, but to wear. Eventually Madarame caught on to my urges and he kept on calling me 'boy'. I can't understand why, but hearing him say that felt...wrong. I tried to hide my anger towards such actions, but recently, my true emotions exploded onto a canvas." He looked over at Ann. "You have already seen the results of the explosion."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It was that painting at the exhibit..." Ann realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I couldn't control myself that evening," Yusuke explained. "Madarame had once again reminded me to get a haircut and the next thing I knew, I started painting frantically. I couldn't stop my movements. All I could think about was how much anger I had concealed. Yet the next morning, he saw my finished work...and immediately took it for himself." His grip on his mug tightened. "That's why...I must ask you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"For what?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let me join...as a member of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts," Yusuke clarified. "Had I faced reality sooner, with both Madarame's actions and my own feelings, this may have been avoided. I must put an end to this for the sake of the others whose futures as artists were robbed, as well. That is the most civil thing I can do for the man who was...in some manner, my father. Then perhaps...I can finally figure out why I have been feeling strange about my own identity."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well if you don't see yourself as a guy, what are you?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't know," Yusuke answered. "When I saw my bare reflection in that Palace, I saw the ideal nude I had wanted to paint. It was...my own body. But why? Why did my rebellious heart take the form of a woman?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sounds like that's what you are," Morgana replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm...a woman?" Yusuke asked. It took him...no, her a few seconds to register that thought. "That's...surprisingly comfortable. I can't believe it never crossed my mind."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you're still with us?" Ryuji checked. "We're gonna deal with Madarame anyways."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He may have a mental shutdown if we screw up," Morgana warned. "We have ways to prevent that, but they aren't fail-safe. Remember how we mentioned this on our way here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Madarame is a man who has the art world under his thumb," Yusuke said. "He has connections to many organizations. If someone like me raises my voice, it'll only be snubbed out. We have no option but this."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's a deal then," Morgana agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann lifted her glass. "Welcome aboard, Yusuke-chan!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Try to keep up," Ryuji said jokingly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll do my best," Yusuke vowed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Welcome to the team," Ren greeted. "And if you still need a nude model, I'll be more than happy to volunteer."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke realized what Ren meant by that. "Ah, so that was all a plan?" she asked. "Well that's quite daring. As for your offer, there will be no need for that. I have finally found the inspiration I have been searching for."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That reminds me..." Ann realized. "I wonder what's going on with the real Madarame."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So am I," Ren agreed. "The last time I saw him, he threatened to report me to security."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Actually, I contacted him before we came here," Yusuke revealed. "Just as you all explained, it appears he knows nothing about his Shadow. He was complaining to the security company how they couldn't even catch one high school boy. However, he's still furious about it, and said that he's going to take legal action against everyone."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Talk about bein' completely on guard..." Ryuji complained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He's acting way too desperate," Ann commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sounds like he has more secrets aside from those Sayuri copies," Ren guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If he were to act, it'd be after the exhibit is over," Yusuke informed. "Any scandal during the show would be his loss."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll have to force a change of heart before then, if we're to dodge this 'legal action' thing," Morgana said. "Looks like our plan must be accomplished while the exhibit is still open!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"By the way...what is this?" Yusuke asked, referring to Morgana.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh?" Ryuji asked. He quickly glanced at Morgana. "Oh, it's a cat."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But it's talking," Yusuke pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"After you talk with me in the Metaverse, then you can hear me talk here as well," Morgana explained. "At least, I think that's how it works."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You think?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Try not to dwell on it too much," Morgana suggested.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." Yusuke commented. "Then what about the fairy accompanying you? What happened to it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean Pixie?" Ren asked in response. He took out his phone and showed it to Yusuke. "She goes in here when we return to the real world."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hiya! Welcome to the team!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A talking cat and a fairy in a phone..." Yusuke said. "I must say, this is quite an unusual team. It might take me a while to get used to it, though." Then without warning, she proceeded to reach over to Morgana.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, don't touch me like that!" the not-cat exclaimed. But to his surprise, Yusuke instead pressed the waiter alert button.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was thinking of ordering some black bean jelly," the bluenette explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I bet she got that idea from a 'black cat'..." Ryuji muttered.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"What an unusual change of events."</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"The Starving Artist... She will make a fine part of my collection."</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"How wonderful. I didn't think more people will be so willing to join."</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"I wonder if I can expand it further..."</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"Oh well, I can't capture people myself. They have to be willing to join. That's how this carnival works, after all."</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"Stay tuned, my eager crowd. The more people I add to my collection, the more exciting this show becomes."</span> </strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0055"><h2>55. The Therapy I Need</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren has another counseling session with Maruki.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As I said before, JohneAwesome is now covering the Third Semester Arc. He hasn’t started exploring the new Mementos as of this chapter, so please no spoilers for beyond that point in your reviews.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That evening, instead of heading straight to the bathhouse, Ren decided to help out at LeBlanc. Once he got his work apron on, he was about to leave the attic when he received a text from Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Legal action? This ain't funny.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I agree. It sounds problematic.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">If the police hear about this, they'll totally get in touch with the school. We'll get expelled for sure this time.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">You serious? Groan! Just when I thought you solved that problem after taking care of Kamoshida...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">School would be the least of our worries... We'd get arrested. Unlawful entry, defamation...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Don't forget that I'm still under probation.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Guess that means we really can't afford to eff it up this time.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Yeah, from here on out is what really matters. Let's do it!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We just need to change his heart before he presses charges," Morgana informed. "Try to focus on that problem for now."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, Ren noticed there was a bit of a commotion at school. The bulletin board had finally announced everyone's exam grades. While the dark-haired teen wouldn't think much of it, a few hushed voices changed his mind.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that actually Sakamoto's name there?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I thought he would tank like he normally does!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How'd he get so smart?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Curious, Ren walked over to the board to see what everyone was talking about. While he noticed he received the highest grades (no surprise, given how much he studied), Ryuji's name was listed a little higher than the average score. In other words, he passed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Looks like your study methods worked," Morgana commented. "Nice job helping out Ryuji."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Once classes were done for the day, Ren was about to head over to the karaoke bar when he received a text from an unexpected person.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">MARUKI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">How have you been since our last talk? Anything bothering you?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It took Ren a few minutes to think about what to say before responding.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Sort of.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">MARUKI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Then if you've got time, I'd be happy to chat with you again.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Sure, I'll come.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">MARUKI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Thank you. That'd be quite helpful. I'll be waiting in the nurse's office.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily for Ren, Ann was just about to leave the classroom. "Are we heading over to the hideout today?" she checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You can go on ahead," Ren answered. "I need to see Maruki first."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay," Ann replied. "I'll let Ryuji know about that."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">On the way over to the nurse's office, Ren decided to stop by the library. While his previous visit was somewhat negative, he hoped the whole thing with Kamoshida dying down improved his reputation. Sure enough, when he stopped by the front desk, the student librarian was nicer to him.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Um... I'm so sorry for what I said," she apologized. "I judged a book by its cover. I've failed as a librarian assistant. There may be times when other students give you a hard time, but please don't mind them. Feel free to use the library whenever you want."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Ren replied, sound relieved. He wondered what kind of books the school had on stock...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, the dark-haired teen happily left the library after checking out a book entitled 'A Political History Of Japan'. "Well, I certainly didn't sense that hostility I was feeling from everyone before," Morgana said. "Guess this means you can stop by there without having to deal with other students judging you."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When Ren arrived at the nurse's office, he began his session with Maruki. "I've been getting a lot of students coming in ever since I arrived here," he revealed. "To be honest, it's been...kind of a relief."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How come?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That whole mess with Kamoshida was the reason I was called here, after all," Maruki recapped. "They warned me a lot of students had been impacted. I knew there would be a lot of free-floating anxiety. But when I actually got to talk to everyone, I was pleasantly surprised. Most of the things on everyone's minds were college entrance exams, relationship problems... Not to mention the ones who had questions about their sexuality preferences. In other words, typical worries for high school students. Some did open up about deeper issues, but not the majority. That makes you a rare exception. Not everyone was perfectly fine with discussing rape trauma like you were when we first met."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm surprised, too," Ren confessed, slightly shifting in his seat. "But I felt comfortable enough to talk about it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That is true," Maruki agreed. "Some students were still struggling with the scars from the incident, yes... But at the very least, I'm glad the ones who came to me have taken some steps towards recovery, such as yourself."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you sure?" Ren asked. "Sometimes people are that good at hiding their true feelings."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, that's not to say I've gotten a sense of every student's emotional state," Maruki confessed. "Either way, I hope my worries end up being groundless after all. I know I'm not the most reliable guy, but remember you can always talk to me too is something's bothering you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There is," Ren admitted. "I still haven't seen Akechi again, but I kind of want to follow his food blog. Is it...creepy to do that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course not," Maruki reassured. "You probably didn't notice, but when you told me about him during your last visit, you were smiling."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"R-Really?" Ren stammered slightly. "I didn't know..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Like I said before, there's nothing wrong with being attracted to another guy," Maruki reinforced. "I am the counselor here, you know. If nothing else, I'm good at listening, so you're free to talk about your crush as much as you want."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, uh... Thank you," Ren replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Having said that, it's a little awkward that I have to ask for your help," Maruki continued. "But do you remember how I asked you to help me with my research?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In return for you helping me with my own problems," Ren recalled. "What exactly do I have to do?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I said you'd be helping with my research, but don't worry," Maruki explained. "It won't be anything too difficult or intensive. I just need you to listen to what I have to say and work through some questions with me. But let's see... Maybe I should start at the beginning. I can tell you a little about what this research is for. What I'm studying now is pain felt in the mind. Or perhaps more fancifully, in the heart. Some specific examples include the pain of someone saying hurtful things to you, or being separated from those you love. Maybe this would be clearer... Pain defined by abstracts, like trauma or stress.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Bodily, physical pain can be thought of as something necessary. An autonomic response to injury, illness, whatever. But what about pains felt within one's heart? That pain isn't born from any tangible problem in our bodies, right? It's something strange and immaterial. I guess it goes to show there are still a lot of mysteries in our own hearts and minds. And I want to learn more about those internal, psychological pains. Now, this is my question to you... When do you truly feel pain in your heart, Amamiya-kun?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pain in my heart?" Ren repeated. He nervously looked away from Maruki. "When others criticize me for being...different."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." Maruki commented. "I take it this happens to you a lot."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not since the probation," Ren admitted. "Back home, I was the main target for ridicule. Other students called me things like 'weird' and 'freak' while girls tried to rape me because they thought I was 'easy'."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sounds to me like those girls treated you like a sex doll," Maruki guessed. "But what about here in Shujin?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They still call me a freak, but everyone's keeping their distance from me," Ren answered. "It's better than the treatment I'm used to in my hometown."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It can be rough dealing with emotional burden," Maruki said. "It doesn't feel good to struggle when there's so much pain in your heart. But with that in mind, how about the pain of a broken heart, then? After all, that kind of pain is only born because we fall in love, right? Do you have any thoughts on this kind of pain, Amamiya-kun?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wouldn't know," Ren admitted as he looked back at Maruki. "I didn't experience love until recently."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're right," Maruki realized. "I'm sorry for not noticing that. But I can tell you this. Internal, emotional pain can be difficult to deal with. Though some say it's always coupled with other feelings... And I agree, of course. I think that's a fair assessment. Though personally speaking...I'd think if pain can be avoided, it should be. Maybe it shouldn't exist at all. Wounds of the heart are much harder to detect, and in a way, they're far more complex than physical injuries. That's why I'm doing this research. To save people who are suffering from internal pain they keep holding onto. You helped me realize that purpose again. Thank you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Did that help?" Ren questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course!" Maruki insisted. "Thanks to you, I can articulate my thoughts for once."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks...I guess," Ren replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now then, about your counseling session for today," Maruki said. "Can you tell me more about your life back home? You already said your school life was awful, but were there people in your life who supported you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just my parents," Ren answered. "When I was raped by that senior girl, I came home late and told them what happened. One thing led to another and the next thing I knew, I came out and explained I'm not attracted to girls. I thought they were going to scold me for it, but they didn't. They hugged me and said they still care about me. Since then, they became a little too overprotective."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You did have every right to be worried," Maruki pointed out. "A lot of other students I spoke to about their sexuality struggles said their parents force them to be straight, but it sounds like yours didn't. If anything, your parents are very supportive."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They are," Ren confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Having strong parental support is important for a teenager of your age," Maruki continued. "But I take it you haven't spoke to them since the probation."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Judge's orders," Ren explained. "I'm not allowed to contact them."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you don't have someone you can talk to about your personal issues," Maruki concluded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's why I wanted to have counseling sessions with you," Ren revealed. "I don't want my friends to worry about me, so I try to repress those issues in front of them."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You made the right call," Maruki reassured. "It's not good to hide your true feelings. If anything, these sessions might help you in the long run."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hope so too..." Ren agreed. At this moment, he could sense strong gratitude towards Maruki.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0056"><h2>56. Yusuke's First Infiltration</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The infiltration of Madarame’s Palace continues.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once Ren finished today's session with Maruki, he and Morgana headed over to the karaoke bar to continue infiltrating Madarame's Palace. But to his surprise, Ryuji was running a bit late. According to Ann, he was over at Untouchable to pick up some weapons for Yusuke. He ended up arriving late, but he had two items for the bluenette: a katana and a rifle. So with the team finally assembled, today's meeting had begun.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Before we head in, we need to go over some basics," Ren told Yusuke. "Since you joined yesterday, you should know how we plan on changing Madarame's heart."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please elaborate," Yusuke encouraged.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"First, the Metaverse spots where we act as phantom thieves are called Palaces," Morgana began. "They're worlds that take the form from someone's cognition, a materialization of their reality."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So do we each hold Palaces within ourselves as well?" Yusuke wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Morgana cried out. It took him a few seconds to realize the others were staring at him. "I-I mean... Not just anyone will have one. It's primarily those with strong distorted desires."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They basically gotta be criminals," Ryuji chimed in. "Real bastards like Kamoshida or Madarame."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"On the other hand, Palaces can't exist within Persona users," Morgana continued. "It's just impossible for them to form. Basically, your Persona is the true feelings of your heart, which arise from accepting your inner Shadow. Then since you have full control over your emotions, there's no way your desires can get distorted."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about me?" Ren suddenly asked, recalling how he still has trouble summoning Arsene.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I already said it's impossible!" Morgana shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So anyways, we use the Metaverse Nav app on our phones to get into that world!" Ryuji said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's actually pretty simple," Ann instructed. "Just say a person's name, location, and distortion, then you're in."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Location...?" Yusuke echoed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's the real-world equivalent of a Palace," Ren clarified. "Take Madarame for example. His Palace's location is his shack, but to him, it's a museum."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How do you know what this Palace is going to look like if you have never set foot in it before?" Yusuke questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That part's kinda like a quiz or something," Ryuji admitted. "It'll prolly get pretty tricky from here on out too."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I feel as though I have a good grasp on the basic concepts," Yusuke decided. "If anything arises which I fail to understand, I'll rely on those more experienced than myself."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... You should probably ask Morgana if you need anything," Ann suggested.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thinking back to Madarame though..." Morgana said. "I can't believe he'd consider pressing charges."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, I've never seen him show such anger before," Yusuke revealed. "He is most likely quite serious about that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What should we do?" Ann asked. "There's no way we'll be able to win if that happens."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We should continue with our original plan," Ren decided. "Change his heart before that happens."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He likely won't act on that threat until the final day of the exhibit," Yusuke reinforced. "Simply put, I doubt he would be so foolish as to taint his name with a trial during his exhibition."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right, so we just gotta steal Madarame's heart by then," Ryuji concluded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That won't be until June 5th," Ren recalled. "We should get it done before that in case something unexpected happens."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good call, Ren," Morgana agreed. "Who knows what might happen between now about June 5th."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">With the team back at the Palace, Morgana made a sudden realization. "Oh yeah, we haven't decided on the new recruit's codename yet."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It has to be Kitsune," Ann suggested. "You know, with the kitsune mask and ribbon tails."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hell yeah," Ryuji agreed. "That really leaves an impression."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you talking about me?" Yusuke checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We go by codenames while we're infiltrating Palaces," Ren explained. "I'm Joker and the others are Skull, Panther, and Mona."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about your fairy friend?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't have a codename," Pixie revealed. "I'm not really an official phantom thief. They threatened to kill me, I remembered my true name, and I agreed to offer healing in exchange for them sparing me. Since then I kinda warmed up to these crazy kids."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So, what do you want your name over here to be?” Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke thought about it for a while. "I'd say...Da Vinci," she decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nope," Ryuji disagreed. "That's no good."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why's that?" Yusuke wondered, looking a bit hurt.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's way too cool," Ryuji complained. "Well, you've got that mask like Panther said...and there's those ribbon tails... All right! You're Aburaage!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fried tofu?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Very well," Yusuke agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She's agreed to it?!" Morgana exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No way!" Ann laughed. "Everyone would laugh at you! You can't use that name! This is important!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about...just Fox?" Ren suggested. "There's not a lot I can work with-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Chrysalis."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came from Pixie, who flew over to Yusuke. "What about using that for a codename?" she asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not related to foxes," Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't you remember what happened when Yusuke awakened?" Pixie asked. "She was covered by a shell that broke apart by some kind of winged lasers. Don't you humans use the word 'chrysalis' to describe that shell?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I get what you're saying," Ren said. "When a caterpillar has eaten enough and is about to become a butterfly, it transforms into a chrysalis by shedding its old skin. Yusuke's awakening was very similar to that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Besides, look at the butterflies on her kimono!" Pixie pointed out. "They clearly symbolize that same process!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I get what you're saying," Yusuke realized. "Much like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, I have undergone metamorphosis and became a beautiful woman. Having a codename that reflects such a transformation is fitting for myself."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then it's decided," Morgana said. "Your codename is Chrysalis!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Now accompanied with the newly-named phantom thief, the team proceeded to infiltrate the Palace. But first, Ren had to visit Justine to bring Jack Frost with him. Now that they have an actual ice user, the chilly snowman could use his full power and increase the strength of Goemon's icy blasts.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once the team got in the museum, they resumed their infiltration. For a while, it was mostly just snooping around while also keeping an eye out for any surprise ambushes. Yet the biggest challenge was keeping track of Jack Frost. Given hischildlike behavior, he had a bad habit of getting distracted and wandering off. As a result, it was Pixie's job to act as a babysitter, much to her dismay.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At one point, the team came across a Will Seed, which confused Yusuke. "What is this...sinister-looking object?" she questioned. "It's so abhorrent...and yet, also so compelling!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's a Will Seed," Ren explained as he picked up the glowing red potato. "They represent coalesced distortions of the Palace's rulers. Taking them helps weaken the Palace's security."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All from a corrupted object?" Yusuke asked. "How unusual..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As they continued their infiltration, they noticed the once-locked door was still open, indicating the team's plan actually worked. So with the door no longer closed, they were able to walk past the area with ease, where they found another map.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now we can use it to figure out where the treasure is, right?" Ann checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I suspect it's in the innermost point of this Palace," Morgana guessed. "If that's the case..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Jack Frost yanked the map from Morgana. "Pixie, control your new friend!" the not-cat shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Cut me some slack!" Pixie replied with a frustrated sigh. "He was probably born recently!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was born two days ago, hee-ho!" Jack Frost innocently confirmed. "I woke up in this Palace with a voice telling me to increase security. I wasn't sure what that meant, but then I met Miss Pixie and here I am helping you guys."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That explains so much..." Pixie grumbled under her breath.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now what was I doing again?" Jack Frost asked out loud. "Oh, that's right! Checking to see if Mister Morgana's on to something."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Didn't you just say you were born two days ago?" Morgana checked. "How could you know about the Palace's layout?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because Madarame said no one should go in a super-duper special room," Jack Frost explained. "I never went near it, but it sounds like this place..." He pointed at an area on the map. "...is that super-duper special room, hee-ho."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you can tell where the treasure is?" Pixie asked, noting that it was similar to how she instinctively knew the layout of Kamoshida's Palace.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maybe, hee-ho," Jack Frost admitted with a shrug.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If that's the case, we will need to pass through the lounge and the gallery in order to reach it," Yusuke pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But there's a high chance security will increase as we continue," Ren pointed out. "We'll have to be careful from here on out."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Roger that, hee-ho!" Jack Frost shouted with a salute. It might take him a while to fully comprehend the very definition of quiet, but at least he understood the team's objective.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0057"><h2>57. He Can't Say "Hello"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Two ice users prove to be quite useful in this particular Palace.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the new map in hand, the team continued their infiltration. At one point, they came across a room full of security lasers. That was where they were cornered by a swarm of Shadows that inflicted everyone into a depressive funk...except for Yusuke. Due to Goemon being able to dodge attacks as a faster rate, the bluenette had to deal with the onion-shaped Shadows herself. This took a while until the others were able to recover, but with Jack Frost by her side, her Persona's icy blast dealt extra damage.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once they made it past that section, they noticed a nearby guard. "H-Hey, there's a strong-lookin' one over there!" Ryuji commented. "We've seen that kind before..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"His stance conveys the notion that he is no ordinary foe," Yusuke observed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think the control room's behind him," Morgana guessed. "He's probably guarding it to make sure nobody gets too close."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll have to get passed him to disarm the security," Ren pointed out. He tugged on one of his gloves. "That shouldn't be a problem given our current combined strength."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sure enough, once the group approached the guard, he dissolved into reddish-black goop and transformed into a winged monk. While there was an initial struggle, the Shadow was eventually taken down, but taking down the security system was a bit tricky.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Another one...?" Ryuji complained.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can do that, hee-ho!" Jack Frost volunteered. Standing on one of the chairs, he proceeded to type in the code. "Just say 'hello'!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">
    <b>Password invalid. Please try again.</b>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh?" Jack Frost asked. "That's weird, hee-ho. Let me try again."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They probably changed the password between infiltrations," Morgana assumed. "We'll just have to look for someone else who might know it."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Relax, I got this," Pixie spoke up as she cracked her knuckles. "Just leave the Shadow eavesdropping to me."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you sure you can do that?" Yusuke wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh yeah, you weren't with us when I did it the first time around," Pixie realized. "Just sit tight and I'll be back with the password in a few minutes."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">A while later, Pixie was able to come across a few guards chatting with one another. Once she found a place to hide, she proceeded to listen in on their conversation.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hear the intruders already got past the central garden security..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah. I just got a call earlier to change the password here too..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What to? It better not be simple."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, I was having some trouble come up with a good one. For now, I set it to the numbers for Madarame's feet."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Lord Madarame's feet? What are you talking about?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let's get back on duty. There's a chance the intruders are nearby."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, Pixie was able to report the news to the others. "Madarame's feet?" Ryuji repeated once she was finished. "The hell is that supposed to mean?!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maybe...his shoe size?" Ann guessed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yo Chrysalis, you know that bastard's shoe size?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Unfortunately, I have never heard him mention it," Yusuke confessed. "Are we sure that is the proper password...?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I heard it myself," Pixie insisted. "They said 'Madarame' and 'feet' in the same sentence."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you think that could mean...?" Morgana wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ooh, ooh!" Jack Frost exclaimed, jumping up and down as he raised his hand. "I might know, hee-ho!" He started running off in a particular direction. "Follow me, hee-ho!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, get back here!" Morgana ordered, but he stopped when a red-gloved hand briefly petted his head.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait, Mona," Ren ordered. "I think Jack Frost might be on to something. We should follow him."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You sure?" Pixie asked. "We've only known him for a few days and he's a bit immature."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We don't have much of a choice," Ren pointed out. "Now let's get going."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">A few brief Shadow battles later, the team was able to catch up to Jack Frost, where he was waiting in front of a massive statue of Madarame. "There you are, hee-ho!" Jack Frost exclaimed and he eagerly hopped in place. This is where the password is!"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren careful inspected the statue. While it was kind of hard to tell at first, there was a carved message at the statue's base. "Here we praise our most holy lord Ichiryusai Madarame, the one ray of hope in this depraved world," he read out loud. "He stands alone as his two adept hands paint into the future. None shall ever match his excellence."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji scoffed at the message. "He's really puffin' his chest out here, ain't he?" he dismissed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hold on a moment," Yusuke spoke up. She looked at the message carefully. "Could this be the spot of 'Madarame's feet' that the supposed security guards mentioned?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, right!" Ann realized. "But isn't the password supposed to be a number of some kind?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It could be hidden within the message," Ren suspected. He checked it again. "One ray of hope stands alone with two adept hands. None shall match him. That would mean..." It took him a few seconds to figure it out. "Thanks for showing us the statue, Jack Frost."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're welcome, hee-ho!" the snowman Shadow cheerfully replied.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">After Ren inputted the password (which turned out to be 1120), he and the others continued their infiltration. Unfortunately, they didn't have much to go when they soon found themselves in a dead end. But there was something suspicious about an unusual painting on a nearby wall...</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What a giant painting..." Ann commented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Indeed," Yusuke agreed. "It bears such a bizarre texture as well. It's as though I could simply slip inside..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Upon hearing the bluenette's words, an idea popped into Ren's head. He proceeded to reach forward to touch the painting...only to successfully slip it into the artwork.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke let out a surprised gasp. "Your hand..." she said. "It actually entered the painting..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So it's some kinda portal?" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Seems like it," Morgana answered. "I don't see any other path for us to take. Let's give it a try."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But as soon as the team entered the painting, they heard a deep voice within the artwork.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <strong>"How dare you thieves trample on my tranquil bamboo garden with those grimy feet! You shall not leave alive!"</strong>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the heck what that?!" Ryuji yelped as he flinched.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It must be Madarame's thoughts," Ren guessed. "We shouldn't let that stop us, so let's keep going."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But as the team walked through the painting, they made a surprising discovery. "Oh... We're in another painting..." Ann noticed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So this space is not merely one, but a multitude of painting," Yusuke commented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're tellin' me they're all connected?" Ryuji asked. "Which goes where?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">Realization struck Ren. "So I was right to take you with me..." he muttered.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I beg your pardon?" Yusuke questioned.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"When I brought you with me to the Palace, I originally planned to show you how Madarame really feels about you," Ren explained. "I wasn't expecting you to summon a Persona, but now...I think there was a reason it happened."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just get to the point already!" Pixie groaned.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're going to need someone with an artist's perspective to figure out this painting maze," Ren continued. "That's where you come in, Chrysalis. Think you can take the lead in these sections?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Certainly," Yusuke confidently answered. "But I must admit, it angers me knowing Madarame calls us thieves who dirty his heart. The one who has sullied the nature of art itself has no right to accuse us of such a thing!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Save you emotions for later," Morgana advised. "We have to keep moving!"</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0058"><h2>58. Eye of the Beholder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Only a true painter can identify counterfeits from the originals.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the long delay. I wanted to wait for JohneAwesome to complete the Third Semester Arc before continuing.</p><p>Let’s just say I need to do some major rewrites for later chapters, considering my original plans involved Nyarlathotep returning as the true final boss...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After escaping the bamboo maze paintings, the team crawled through a vent (with Ryuji accusing an obviously-guilty Yusuke of staring at his butt) and arrived at a different section of the Palace. While it took them a while to get through countless Shadows and guards, they ultimately arrived at another wall filled with large paintings, but something seemed off about them...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh. More big paintings just like the ones we saw before," Ryuji commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There is something off about these though..." Yusuke noticed. She pointed at two seemingly blank paintings. "Look. There are even two frames with no paintings at all."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why don't we go take a closer look?" Ann suggested.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good thinking, Panther," Ren replied. "There's a strong chance this is another painting maze, so we'll have to enter them again."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sure enough, once the team was closer to the paintings, they found it was another maze. And just like the bamboo paintings, they heard Madarame's voice as soon as they entered a painting of a desert.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong>"Alas, this world is a desert filled with laymen who cannot understand true beauty! The slow drain of my skill is inevitable when I am surrounded by such mediocrity..."</strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So he's gonna blame the world for his declinin' skill?" Ryuji asked. "What a load of bullcrap!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Alright Chrysalis, think you can take the lead from here?" Ren checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Certainly," Yusuke answered. With a graceful swish of her kimono, she proudly led the others through the painting. Using her careful eye in art, she guided the others to another painting, which depicted a red shrine gate with a mountain in the background.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong>"The gods, even in their dormancy, are worshipped constantly. People gather under shrine gates, offer their money, and return home fully satisfied. Art is practically the same. In the end, is it all just a matter of imagination?"</strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Even if that's true, that doesn't give you the right to be deceiving people!" Ann shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Getting to the next painting took a while. The team tried to walk past the frame, but it was barricaded for some reason. Luckily Yusuke was able to figure out a secret passageway through the shrine gate, which led to a painting of an old ruin. And just like the previous times, Madarame's voice boomed once more.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"Hard work is not what makes a sapling grow thick with green leaves. Too many young people do not see the true value in youth these days. What fools... Is it truly wrong for an expert such as myself to capitalize on that youth before it wastes away?"</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He's the one wasting it!" Ren exclaimed, disgusted with the painter's dismissal towards hard work. "These kids have no right to be treated with cruelty!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Instead of traveling to another painting, Yusuke noticed the next exit led them out of a painting and onto a platform. Granted it was nowhere near where they wanted to go, but thanks to the artsy bluenette, she uncovered a sailboat painting with the push of a nearby button.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just as I thought," Yusuke said. "Passing through one hidden route leads to the formation of another. What an elaborate ruse. It's highly likely there is a new path through the paintings. We should investigate at once."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But upon reentering the ruins painting and attempting to retrace their steps, they were greeted by a familiar sight.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait, this camel..." Ryuji muttered. "We're back at the first freakin' one!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't like sand, hee-ho," Jack Frost complained. "Sand is in hot deserts and that makes me feel sleepy, hee-ho."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Calm down, Jack Frost," Morgana said. "It looks like they're not connected exactly as they seem."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Looks like what you said was pretty accurate, Joker," Pixie chimed in. "We would've been stuck in this maze for years if you didn't drag Chrysalis into the Metaverse."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Upon reentering the shrine gate painting, Yusuke noticed a once-locked entrance was now unlocked. But upon leaving the painting, they were in the new one: a boat sailing on the ocean. That was when Madarame spoke up once more.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <b>"Could a ship skirt across the ocean if its crew had to constantly worry about what sea life may lie below? Art, life, water... They are all identical. The one who ascends to the summit is the victor!"</b> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And he thinks he can get away with that crap?" Pixie complained. "Ugh... How disgusting!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed was the creation of another painting, one that resembled an autumn scenery. With all five paintings revealed, Yusuke guided the others to the recently-created painting by climbing up the ruins in the third painting. Once they were in the autumn painting, Madarame spoke once more.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <b>"Beauty is merely a mirage. Transforming that into money is what is what brings about true happiness. My fine mansion, my lifestyle among the chosen few... Those things are the true art!"</b> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So running your atelier out of a shabby, run-down shack was simply an act after all..." Yusuke noted. "How foolish I was to have been deceived for so long..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Chrysalis..." Ann sadly muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke looked around the autumn painting. "We have encountered so many of his paintings, yet not once did he mention a love for art," she continued. "These are no paintings. They are just meaningless self-assertions placed into picture frames!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How funny, hee-ho," Jack Frost blurted out. "You seem to understand beauty better than Madarame, hee-ho."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Whatever do you mean?" Yusuke questioned.</p><p class="p2">"You're wearing a kimono just like him," Jack Frost explained. "But it looks prettier than his, hee-ho."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke looked at her gloved hand. "But this is what my heart transformed me into," she recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"So what?" Jack Frost asked. "If your heart made you pretty, doesn't that mean you were always that to begin with?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...I suppose so," Yusuke answered. "I never really thought about that side of myself until I saw my nude reflection." She let out a deep chuckle. "Who would have thought I was a woman this whole time?"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Once the team left the painting maze, what followed was one Shadow battle after another. As usual, I'm skipping this long and boring portion so I can focus on the more important plot-related details of this story. So after that long string of Shadow battles (and obtaining the Palace's second Will Seed), they soon found themselves in an unusual gold room that resembled an M.C. Escher painting.</p><p class="p1">"Shit... What the hell is up with this place?!" Ryuji shouted.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's so much gold!" Ann complained as she shielded her eyes. "It's hurting my eyes!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana shivered as his ears shot up. "The distortion is especially bad here," he reported. "It's barely holding up."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't seem to find it on our map," Pixie chimed in, holding up the map.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we must ascertain the truth through our eyes alone..." Yusuke concluded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily there weren't any guards in this area, so they didn't have to worry about surprise ambushes. But unfortunately, there were no visible exits in sight, so leaving the area proved to be quite difficult. That is, until Ryuji unintentionally revealed a hidden doorway. Upon walking through that doorway, they were transported to a different part of the area. A few teleported areas later, they came across two Sayuri copies.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why is this painting here?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's probably some kind of illusion," Morgana guessed. "We're in a Palace, after all." He walked over to one of the paintings and looked up at it. "Well, I guess the painting itself might be correct though."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But the actual storage room was mostly filled with fakes," Ren recalled. He looked closely at a painting that looked similar to the actual Sayuri. "And yet..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There is an obvious difference if you look closely," Yusuke spoke up. "It shouldn't be too difficult to tell them apart."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, maybe it's obvious for you," Ryuji pointed out. He looked over at Ren. "What do you think, Joker?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I remember seeing a documentary about Madarame back in elementary school," Ren recalled. "I had to answer questions about it for homework after school that day. I asked my mom to check if I got any questions wrong, but she looked disappointed at one of my answers. I can never forget what she told me that night."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"Oh, Renny. Sayuri is never considered Madarame's greatest masterpiece. Too many people claim it as such because of its resemblance to Da Vinci's Mona Lisa."</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I ended up writing that for the question and the teacher marked it as wrong," Ren continued.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke looked offended. "How could your mother say such cruel words towards Sayuri?!" she shouted, gesturing towards one of the two paintings. "Just look at her! The vibrant crimson clothes, her beautiful hair, the sublime balance between subject and background... There is no other painting in the world that can replicate such a masterpiece!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, the painting disappeared into an orb of light and flew towards one of the nearby doorways, causing it to turn yellow. This ended up surprising everyone.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the heck was that?" Pixie asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think we found a way to get through this area," Ren guessed. "Spot a painting that resembles the real Sayuri and a new doorway opens."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we're seeing past the false image to open a path to the truth," Yusuke interpreted. She looked around, only to see more Sayuri paintings scattered throughout the area. "This golden place filled with counterfeit work is a prime example of the alchemy of Madarame's brain. And here, just as in reality, it entraps those who cannot see through his lying facade."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You might be right, Chrysalis," Morgana agreed. "No wonder the distortion is so strong here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what did those big words mean?" Jack Frost suddenly asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think it means finding the real Sayuri should break through the distortion and open a path," Ann interpreted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So do we just gotta check all of 'em?" Ryuji asked, sounding exasperated.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why do that when we have a painter in-training on our side?" Pixie asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was thinking the same thing," Ren agreed. "You got this, Chrysalis?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But of course," Yusuke answered. "Sayuri was the painting that fueled my inspiration. I can easily tell it apart from counterfeits."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0059"><h2>59. Allied Shadow Antics</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As Palace infiltration finally wraps-up, funny stuff happens regarding Ren's Shadow allies.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">From then on out, the Sayuri puzzle was nothing more than a piece of cake. With Yusuke still taking charge, she easily spotted the real paintings among so many counterfeits. Granted the last one was hard to find, but that was behind a hidden room. Eventually the team was able to make their way to the exit and finally leave the blinding distorted area. But as soon as they walked past the doors, they noticed a familiar face up ahead.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A-Ah, that is...!" Yusuke exclaimed. "Just as I expected... Madarame!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then is the treasure behind him?" Ann checked, but she couldn't tell from a far distance.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"It's hard to tell from here," Ren answered. "We need to move in closer to make sure."</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once the team got close enough without attracting unwanted attention, they were able to see a glowing orb right behind Madarame. "There it is..." Morgana said.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It looks hazy, just like the treasure from Kamoshida's Palace," Ann noticed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How come?" Jack Frost asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because it hasn't taken a solid form yet," Ren explained. "We need to send out a calling card first to make sure that happens."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Joker's right," Morgana told Jack Frost. "Once we send the card and make Madarame aware it'll be stolen, it'll materialize like 'yoohoo'!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wonder what form it will take..." Yusuke spoke up.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Well, Kamoshida's treasure was a large crowd," Pixie recalled. "But apparently in changed into a gold medal when the others brought it with them to the real world."</p>
<p class="p2">"Bet it's something like a self-portrait," Ryuji suspected. "So what now? Think it's safe to say we got our route set?"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Looks like it," Ren replied. "Let's head back to plan out our next calling card."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait a second, Mr. Frizzy-Haired Thief!" Morgana shouted, running up to Ren and blocking his path. "I'm not sure that we've necessarily secured the route!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why's that?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke peaked around the doorframe. "You must be talking about the infrared lasers surrounding it," she told Morgana.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That, and the outer perimeter is swarming with guards," Morgana answered. "Forcing our way through will be difficult, especially since we only have four and a half phantom thieves on the team."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Ah, in reference to Joker seemingly having a hard time summoning his Persona?" Yusuke correctly guessed.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's not as bad as the last Palace," Ren disagreed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Says the guy whose Persona kept on fading during the last few Shadow battles," Pixie recalled.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But I stopped bleeding!" Ren pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we'll need to find a way to steal it too..." Ann said, getting back on topic. She sighed. "This is tougher than it was with Kamoshida..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We just have to make one final push," Morgana advised. "Let's check this floor."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">Once the team secured a safe room, the next stop was what appeared to be a control room of sorts. "Think we can turn them lasers off here?" Ryuji wondered.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I got this, hee-ho!" Jack Frost volunteered. He stood on a chair near a monitor and went to work. "Just say 'hello'!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hold it right there!" Pixie said, grabbing onto the childlike snowman's arm. "You don't have to keep repeating that every time we see a computer!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But that was the rule I was told to follow, hee-ho," Jack Frost recalled.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pixie's right," Ren agreed. "I don't think a passcode is needed for this computer."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh," Jack Frost said. He stared at the monitor for a few seconds. "But I still want to help, hee-ho. Now to turn off the lasers, hee-ho."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But when Jack Frost tried to do so, nothing happened. "Huh? Nothing happened," Ryuji noticed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <b>Error! Only Lord Madarame can access this terminal due to maximum security protocol!</b>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It seems disabling the infrared lasers is not within the realm of possibility for us," Yusuke said.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We should still try the other options," Ann suggested. "What else do you see, Jack Frost?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A big red button," Jack Frost answered. And being the childlike Shadow he is, he pressed it on impulse. That action caused power from outside the control room to shut down.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <b>"Wh-What is the meaning of this?!"</b>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I am not sure! It seems we have lost power. The backup generators should bring it up again in no time."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sure enough, the power came back a split second later. "It came back on pretty damn fast," Ryuji complained.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes," Yusuke agreed. "And the infrared lasers remained active even during the power outage."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we'll only be able to turn the power off in there for a few seconds," Morgana recapped.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response, taking a mental note of that information. The others didn't notice it, but he was starting to form a plan in his head...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait a second... Aren't those guards that just ran out headed this way?!" Ann realized.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry, Miss Panther," Jack Frost said. "Just say 'hello'!" With that, he pressed a blue button.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What did you do?" Ren asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I opened the shutters, hee-ho," Jack Frost answered. He hopped off the chair. "Now we better run before-"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you're the ones who tampered with the electricity!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice same from a guard that just entered the room. "Crap, we got company!" Ryuji shouted.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Everyone, to your battle positions!" Ren ordered as he took out his knife. "Let's take him down!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once the guard dissolved into three separate tall, doglike Shadows, the team engaged in combat. Jack Frost watched in amazement as the others worked together in perfect unison. Ryuji, Morgana, Ann, and Yusuke used their Personas to deal elemental damage, Ren fought back on his own with his knife and gun, and while Pixie didn't contribute to the battle, she used healing magic to restore her friends' health when the Shadows dealt out powerful bursts of energy. That flawless teamwork was enough to take out all three Shadows, but that gave the snowman an urge to join in on combat.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Phew... That was a surprise..." Ann said, gasping for breath.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wanna fight, too!" Jack Frost exclaimed as he jumped up and down. "I wanna fight! I wanna fight! I wanna fight!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Geez, someone's hyper," Pixie commented. "I don't think anyone else will show up."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what now?" Ryuji asked. "All we really managed to do was open the shutters."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"On top of that, we can only turn the lights off briefly, while the lasers remain unaffected," Yusuke added.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I opened the shutters to help us escape," Jack Frost explained.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That was still a good move," Morgana told the living snowman. "Now there are more places we can explore."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then let's go see what's past those shutters," Ren decided.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">Making their way past the shutters, the team continued exploring...although they had to stop by for the Palace's third Will Seed. And I know I forgot to mention it in the previous story arc, but Ren, Ryuji, Morgana, Ann, and Pixie did gather all three Will Seeds in Kamoshida's Palace. I apologize for leaving that information out earlier. That kind of careless mistake won't happen again. So with that cleared up, now to get back to the main story.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After fighting a couple more Shadows (and Morgana remembering to give Yusuke a grappling hook for hard-to-reach areas), the team arrived in a new room on an upper level. "Huh? Is this some kinda security room too?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"No, it is most likely where all the mechanisms in the exhibition hall are controlled from," Yusuke suspected. "Given the number of hanging works, it would make sense to have a room dedicated to controlling them."</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jack Frost peaked his head into the room. "That's right, hee-ho!" he confirmed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How do you know that?" Ann asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I dunno, hee-ho," Jack Frost admitted with a shrug. "I just know."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I get it," Pixie spoke up. "It's probably like how I knew the layout in Kamoshida's Palace. As soon as you're created, you instantly know every room in the building."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Was that how it was for you, Miss Pixie?" Jack Frost asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well yeah, but I was originally a lieutenant," Pixie replied. "But I'm glad I made the right choice. If I didn't, I probably would have..." She suddenly stopped speaking, remembering that while she was able to escape through her bond with Ren, the other Shadows didn't. But what if Jack Frost wasn't so lucky?</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Miss Pixie?" he asked with a cute tilt of his head.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, it's nothing," Pixie dismissed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Upon discovering a ladder in the recently-discovered room, the team found themselves on several platforms high above the ground. They stopped at a particular platform, one that was close to where the treasure was located.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, ain't this right above the treasure?" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Oh, look!" Ann exclaimed. "There aren't any lasers above it!"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is quite a large hole in their security," Yusuke commented. "But what do we do? Jump down to retrieve it?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We wouldn't be able to get out if we did that though," Morgana pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ren noticed a crane hook nearby. Using every mental note he took, he was able to come up with a plan. "I got it," he informed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You figures something out, Joker?" Ann asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response. "I noticed some kind of control switch in the room we were just in," he revealed. "It's probably used to control that crane. We can use it to take the treasure."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Do you plan on descending on the hook?" Yusuke questioned. "Would they not spot you the moment you were lowered down?"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not if we turn off the lights," Ren explained.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh right... We were able to turn the lights off over in that other control room," Ann recalled.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Only for a few seconds though," Yusuke added. "There would not be enough time to make it all the way here."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's why we'll have to split up to accomplish this heist," Ren continued. "There are three different tasks to make sure it goes off without a hitch. Someone to turn off the power, someone to lower to crane, and someone to grab the treasure."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You sure that's gonna work?" Ryuji asked. "Seems like they'd realize what's goin' on at some point."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I could snatch the treasure," Pixie volunteered. "I have wings, so..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's no good," Ren disagreed. "Kamoshida's treasure resembled a large crown. If the treasure in this Palace is just as big, you might have a hard time carrying it by yourself."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ugh... Fine..." Pixie pouted.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I must say, that's a good plan of yours," Morgana complimented. "You understand what being a phantom thief really means!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what now?" Jack Frost asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"With our infiltration route secure, it's time to send out the calling card," Ren answered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, I'm kinda worried this plan might blow up and shit..." Ryuji admitted. "But we gotta do this."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I cannot even begin to fathom what Madarame's treasure may be," Yusuke said.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Either way, we'll steal it for sure," Ann reassured.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After leaving the Palace and making sure Jack Frost was back in Justine's Compendium, the team returned to the real world and headed over to the karaoke bar to discuss the calling card. "We can now take him down, yes?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Madarame's going to be a changed man," Morgana informed. "There won't be any way to revert it though. You sure you're okay with that?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I have thought it over carefully," Yusuke replied. "And I cannot think of a future in which he does not pay his dues. He has preyed not only on the art world, but on countless talents..." With a shaky hand, she slowly tucked her hair behind her ear. "Not to mention all those times he forced me to stay a man. So, I humbly request your help."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just don't get too worked up," Ren warned.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I apologize for making you do this," Yusuke said.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not at all," Ann reassured. "We just didn't want to impose you if you weren't feeling up to it, Yusuke-chan. But if you're already determined to do it, then there's nothing more for us to say."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If I recall, our next step is sending a 'calling card', correct?" Yusuke checked. "What a graceful maneuver."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's to ensure the treasure is materialized," Ren explained. "We do this by changing the target's cognition to let them know we're about to steal their distorted desires."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A change in cognition..." Yusuke muttered. "That reminds me, you went through some trouble regarding that before."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah, you must be talking about when we forced open that security gate in the courtyard," Morgana chimed in. That's when a notification beeped from Ren's phone, prompting him to take it out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You mean that time Ren was getting all lovestruck over Yusuke?</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wha- Pixie!" Ren stammered, his cheeks turning pink.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Lol! You're too easy to tease!</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... Yeah... It's kind of like that," Ren told Yusuke, trying to get back on topic.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Actually, may I ask a truly basic question?" Yusuke asked. "You continue to mention cognition quite readily. But why does this world formed from materialized cognitions even exist to begin with?" She placed her hand across her heart. "Don't tell me... Has it always existed, while we go about our daily lives completely oblivious?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Honestly, I'm not sure," Morgana admitted. "At the very least, I know it existed before the Kamoshida incident...but that's all."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Y'know, it's kinda weird thinkin' there might be whole worlds we just don't know a damn thing about," Ryuji confessed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I never thought about that until recently..." Ren agreed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Snap out of it, Ren!" Morgana ordered as he smacked the dark-haired teen with his paw. "You don't even know everything about the city you live in, after all. All that's important is that we know how to make use of that world and how to traverse it."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm still bothered by the very concept of a calling card," Yusuke confessed. "Would Madarame take it seriously?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What are you getting at?</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He is famous, after all," Yusuke explained. "He has often received slanderous letters till now, as well."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He'll know best whether the crime written on it is for real or not," Ryuji said.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait," Morgana spoke up, catching on to what the blonde male was implying. "Are you going to write it again, Ryuji? That last one was questionable at best..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But he was the one who came up with the team name," Ren reminded his therapy not-cat.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You should do it then, Yusuke-chan," Ann suggested. "Oh! Make it really artsy and stuff!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No," Yusuke decided. "It'll end with him figuring it out. He knows my drawing and writing styles all too well."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, then I'll think it up, and you make it cooler!" Ryuji suggested.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Designing a calling card, hm..." Yusuke pondered. "Interesting. It shall become proof that the Phantom Thieves of Hearts do exist."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then it's decided," Ren said as he pushed up his glasses. "All that's left is to enter the Palace tomorrow and steal Madarame's treasure."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You guys better come fully prepared!" Morgana ordered.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0060"><h2>60. The Second Calling Card</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Time to steal Madarame’s treasure!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That evening, Ren headed over to the bathhouse to freshen up. As he worked on his nightly bathing routine, Pixie was speaking on his behalf when Ryuji had an important announcement to make.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yo, I tried changing the chat icon.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Looks the same to me.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Same here.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Let me guess, Ren's busy with something?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">He headed straight for the bathhouse after dropping his stuff off at LeBlanc. Guess all that infiltration stuff got him exhausted. But enough with talking about Ren. What's the icon big change?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It's that Phantom Thieves of Hearts logo I had Yusuke draw for us. The calling card turned out great 'cause of her too. Anyways, this is the first job for the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. We really can't screw this up, k?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Oh, I'm sorry. Did the whole thing with Kamoshida not count as a job?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Okay, maybe it's our second job. Happy?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Smiley face!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I am not underestimating anything. I assure you.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">And make sure Yusuke gets a lot of rest today, OK?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Welp, see y'all tomorrow!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">See you tomorrow!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Uh... Sure, I guess. Sleep well.</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, when school began, Ms. Kawakami had important announcement to make. "Okay, let's begin homeroom," she said. "First, I have an announcement about an upcoming school event. As part of a city beautification project, the entire school will be participating in a public cleanup campaign. That means we're going to Inokashira Park to pick up trash."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Most of the student, however, weren't happy to hear that. "Settle down," Ms. Kawakami urged. "The cleanup will take place near the end of this month, on the 30th. All students are to wear their gym uniforms during the event, so don't forget to dress the part."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ren and Ann received a text from Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You guys hear about this cleanup bullshit at Inokashira Park? I guess it's the principal's idea. Damage control after Kamoshida scandaled up the school's rep.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">And what's wrong with that? It's better than the school just doing nothing and pretending like it never happened.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Pixie's right. Back home, the school didn't help me out after I was raped. My parents were the only ones who supported me.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I get what you mean, Ryuji. Even the counseling stuff seems like a desperate move.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Even if it is, counseling isn't all that bad.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">All the girls in our class have been freaking out over this new guy, too. I've been hearing Maruki's "hot", "kind", "sensitive"... Basically everyone thinks he's their type.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Whoa. I guess he's pretty popular, then.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I get why. He's a bit too old, but he does have that strong charismatic vibe. Makes it easier for students to talk to him.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Oh yeah, did you guys go to his counseling yet?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Oh shit. I forgot. But I dunno... I don't really feel like going. You know what I mean, right, RenRen?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I already went. He's a good counselor.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Whoa, really?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You should just go already. Well, you can't today, but...soon. If your slacking draws attention to us, we're the ones who'll have to pay for it.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Fiiine...</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That afternoon, Madarame was finishing up another interview at his art exhibit when he was approached by a staff employee. "Pardon me, sir," he said. "There's a matter we need to notify you about."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please excuse me for a moment," Madarame told the interviewer.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once the two were in a private area, the staff employee took out a card. "We found this outside," he explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A letter?" Madarame asked. He took it from the staff employee and read it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sir Ichiryusai Madarame, a great sinner of vanity whose talent has been exhausted. You are an artist who uses his authority to shamelessly steal the ideas of his pupils. We have decided to make you confess all your crimes with your own mouth. We will take your distorted desires without fail. From, The Phantom Thieves of Hearts</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whose doing is this?!" Madarame demanded as he crumbled up the card.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We don't know," the staff employee explained. "The same letter has been posted everywhere."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about the security cameras?!" Madarame asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There were no signs of the culprit," the staff employee reported. "All we saw was a cat in the recordings."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Remove these at once!" Madarame ordered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course!" the staff employee replied. "But what about the exhibit? We believe it's just a prank, but what of the mass media?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you insinuating that this slander is true?" Madarame asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course not!" the staff employee answered.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"It's those damn brats' doing, isn't it? Well, it means nothing... They'll only be able to do as they please until this exhibit is over..."</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Madarame tried to deal with the calling cards, Yusuke walked over to where the others stood. "Will that do?" she asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yup! It was perfect!" Ann praised. "The composition was way cooler too!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The treasure should appear right about now," Morgana assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You better enjoy the air of freedom while you still can, old man," Ryuji taunted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took out his phone and smirked. "People are already talking about the calling card," he reported. "We should take this as our cue to begin while everyone is still distracted."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sure you know, but we only get one shot to pull this off," Morgana warned. "You have no reservations about this either, right, Yusuke?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course not," Yusuke answered. "We'll do this."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, the four teens headed back to the shack, ready to reenter the Palace one last time.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The atmosphere in here seems significantly different..." Yusuke noted as she looked at the Palace.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I mean, we did basically declare war on him by sendin' that card," Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's a high chance Madarame could fight back, though," Ren warned. "We just need to stick with our plan and escape the Palace with ease."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once the team arrived at the upper level control room, they split up and went into their respected areas. First, they had to get inside the lower level control room, which was Ryuji and Ann's task (although Jack Frost wanted to tag along with them). Unfortunately, there were a few guards already occupying it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's an enemy inside, just as expected..." Ann sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I mean, we've done a ton in here," Ryuji recalled. "It ain't surprisin'. Anyway, I'm gonna try and draw it out, so I'll leave the switch do you guys."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ooh, ooh! I wanna help, hee-ho!" Jack Frost volunteered, jumping up and down with his hand raised.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why's that?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I used to work with these guys, hee-ho," Jack Frost explained. "I can trick them into thinking I'm still on their side."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Will you be okay?" Ann asked. "What if they catch up to you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Heh, don't underestimate an ex-runner," Ryuji bragged as he cracked his knuckles. "I'm definitely gonna shake 'em off!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once Ann hid, Jack Frost started slapping his hands on the door. "Help me, hee-ho!" he called out, while Ryuji took that cue to start running. "I found one of the intruders, but he's too fast!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The door opened. "Oh great, it's the runt," one of the guards sighed. "We better help you out."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Ann was able to sneak into the control room, Yusuke, Morgana, and Pixie were on a high platform. With Pixie moving the hook closer to the bluenette, she tied Morgana to it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is this good?" Yusuke checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana tugged on the rope that secured him in place. "Yeah, it's perfect!" he confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well someone's excited to steal," Pixie commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I agree, Pixie," Yusuke added. "You seem to be enjoying this, Mona."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Only the best can appreciate these critical moments," Morgana bragged. "Plus, this feels like we're really phantom thieves."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll be counting on you, Mona," Yusuke said. "And Panther as well."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I get it, we're all one big happy family," Pixie sighed. "Less talking, more thief-ing!" She then proceeded to rapidly flap her wings, causing small electrical sparks to appear between them.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When Ann saw the signal, she turned off the lights, allowing Ren to lower the crane for Morgana to steal the now-covered treasure.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A couple of seconds later, Ren moved the crane back into place while the others met back with him. "Sorry for the wait," Ann apologized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My bad!" Ryuji said, gasping for breath. "It took me ages to get those guards off my trail! If Jack Frost didn't create an icy mist to distract 'em, I would've been a goner."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait, where are Mona and Pixie?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As if on cue, the duo got off the platform and rejoined the others. "Whew! Glad that's finally over!" Pixie sighed in relief. "I had to untie Mona, then carry both him and the treasure!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Lord Madarame! Th-The piece is gone!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"How dare those vermin! But now we'll corner them like the rats they are! Lock all the doors at once! They have nowhere to run!"</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what's the treasure turn out to be?" Ryuji asked. "I'm guessin' it's a paintin' based on the shape."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We can check it out later," Ren pointed out. "Right now, we have to get going."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0061"><h2>61. The True Sayuri</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Madarame’s treasure is finally revealed.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Stealing the treasure was one thing, but actually escaping the Palace proved to be another. Because once the team was able to leave the building, they had to deal with climbing down large, twisted stairs. After escaping through a glowing red door, they found themselves back in a familiar area.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is this...the courtyard?!" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I knew it!" Morgana cheered. "All that security would've been meaningless if it just led back inside!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke looked around. "It seems we managed to escape their siege," she noticed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Morgana started meowing excitedly. "Dude... Why's Mona gettin' excited now of all times...?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I just can't take it anymore!" Morgana purred. "Let's take a look at this treasure!" Before anyone could stop him, he set it on the ground and threw the purple cloth aside. However, the treasure turned out to be quite...unexpected.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The heck is this?!" Morgana shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that...a doodle of a face?" Ann noticed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"THIS is the treasure?!" Ryuji assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Ren heard a small whirring sound.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With his gaze shifted over to the side, he saw electrical rods pop up from the ground. "Look out!" he warned.</span>
</p><p class="p2">As soon as the team got out of the way, the so-called treasure was surrounded by an electrical barrier. Just what was going on?</p><p class="p2">
  <b>"Meddlesome vermin."</b>
</p><p class="p1">That voice came from Madarame, who was accompanied by two guards. However, one of the, was carrying a painting in a gold frame. <b>"Is this what you're looking for?"</b> the Shadow self asked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How dare you try to trap me like some kind of mouse!" Morgana hissed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you had a fake prepped, huh?!" Ryuji realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"Counterfeits are accepted in the world of Japanese art,</b>" Madarame explained.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What made you change like this?!" Yusuke demanded. "Is it because you became famous?! Can't you understand how much it pains me to inquire about the crimes of my foster father?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Madarame looked over at Yusuke. <b>"Now that I think back, the reason why I took you in was due to my ties with your mother,"</b> he revealed. <b>"That woman never lost her passion for painting even after her husband died. Her skills and talents were quite astonishing. That's why I decided to look after her. Your mother and the artwork she created... They're all MY works of art! And you're no exception, dear boy!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How low can you sink?" Ann asked, noticing Yusuke's discomfort upon hearing the word 'boy'.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"I suppose I can grant you a gift before you die,"</b> Madarame decided. <b>"A glimpse of the first painting that won me fame and influence."</b> With that, the guard holding the treasure held it up for the phantom thieves (and their Shadow allies) to see.</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that Sayuri?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It looks...different," Ann commented. "There's no smokey stuff around her chest."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And she's holding a baby..." Yusuke added.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that painting is Madarame's treasure," Morgana concluded.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"This portrait is the last work of a female student of mine, and is the only self-portrait she ever painted,"</b> Madarame explained. <b>"The work instantly captivated me. I was in awe of her skill and wit. Behold, Sayuri's true form! Her face overflowing with affection with yet a hint of grief. The world applauded that mysterious expression, a reflection of her complicated state of mind."</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A female...pupil..." Yusuke repeated. "Could she...? Mother?"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"Precisely,"</b> Madarame confirmed. <b>"The female student is none other than your dearly departed mother. A woman who knew her death was coming painted her last wishes, for the son she would leave behind. That is the truth behind the mystery of Sayuri's expression!"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How could you steal something that personal?!" Ren shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"I knew at first glance,"</b> Madarame continued. <b>"I knew it'd be a huge success if I added a touch to the painting and announced it under my name!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But the baby in the painting..." Yusuke said. "Why did you paint over that area?"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"It was all to stage it,"</b> Madarame answered. <b>"If the baby is erased, the reason for the woman's expression will become a mystery! That is what the general public is drawn to! Each of those parasitic critics wrote the same thing!"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you deliberately tried to recreate the Mona Lisa," Ren assumed, remembering his mom's words. "No wonder Sayuri felt off to me. If you actually cared about that painting, you wouldn't have tampered it! What happened to the hand painter who created Secret Desires?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Joker's right!" Ann agreed. "He said you were known for painting hands! How could you stoop so low?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"So you'll defy me no matter what,"</b> Madarame concluded. <b>"Well then, since you're my work of art, Yusuke, I'm going to reap you for the sake of my future, starting with that long overdue haircut."</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Damn, you're a rotten son of a...!" Ryuji grumbled under his breath.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't believe your treating both mother and daughter like they're objects!" Ann shouted. "You're inhuman!"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"Daughter...?"</b> Madarame repeated. <b>"Whatever do you mean? All I see is a delusional boy who needs to be corrected."</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Speaking of Yusuke, she seemed deeply bothered by something. "Chrysalis?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I've heard that you destroy your 'art' once they outlive their usefulness," Yusuke recalled. "Did that include my mother as well?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"She just so happened to have a seizure in front of me,"</b> Madarame revealed. <b>"That's when a thought crossed my mind... If I don't call for help and let nature take her, I could obtain her painting without any strings attached."</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you let her die?!" Ren spat out.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"She was physically weak,"</b> Madarame continued. <b>"No one would doubt if she just dropped dead because of a seizure. Above all, Yusuke, didn't you think it was odd that I discovered your talent when you were only three? The one true reason why I kept you around was to keep you from realizing the truth behind Sayuri. So what if you just happened to have the same artistic talents as your mother? You were no different than any other pupil I took in. It's much easier robbing the future of brats who won't talk back at adults. That was the start of my so-called 'experimental phase', as the public calls it. It's thanks to you that I came up with the idea. You have my gratitude."</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">To everyone's surprise, Yusuke started laughing. "I thank you, Madarame," she said, an icy gust of wind swirling around her. "Every reason for me to forgive you has disappeared without a trace at this very moment! You aren't some rotten artist! You're a despicable fiend who wears the skin of an artist, with little regard for my status as a woman!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"All you good-for-nothings...!"</b> Madarame snarled. <b>"Barging into my museum and doing whatever the hell you want..."</b> A black aura surrounded him. <b>"Those who have the connections make the rules. Those who don't, follow them. Not to mention, the value of art is all subjective! I make the rules in the art scene! I am the supreme being! I am the god of the art world!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Just like Kamoshida, Madarame transformed into a distorted form. But instead of becoming another monstrous demon, his whole body was stretched out until he broke apart into four separate paintings, all of which formed a face of sorts.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"I'll paint you out of existence!"</b> Madarame roared. <b>"Now...let's begin, you vermin!"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You used others for your own despicable desires, Madarame," Yusuke spat out as she readied her katana. "You aren't even worth the art you 'create'!"</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Much like what I did with making Kamoshida homophobic, I added a few extra lines to portray Madarame as transphobic.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0062"><h2>62. Azazel, the Painting of Vanity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>When an anime battle shortens a fight sequence, sometimes creative liberties are needed to improve it.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Everyone, don't lose focus!" Morgana warned. "There's no telling what he'll try-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Dance, Carmen!" Ann shouted as she tore off her mask.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With Carmen summoned, she launched a massive fiery explosive that hit all four paintings. However, despite the massive damage, each painting was restored in a flash of light.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?!" Ryuji yelped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No way!" Ann panicked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren, on the other hand, remained calm and threw his knife boomerang-style at the mouth painting. However, that proved to be ineffective when it was also restored in a flash of light.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's with this guy?" Morgana asked. "Our attacks aren't working!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't think that's the case," Ren disagreed, knife back in hand. "Our attacks are working, but he's healing himself. Unless we take out all four paintings, they'll keep regenerating."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then we'll have to take them down at once!" Morgana concluded as he whipped out his cutlass.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, an explosion caught Ann off-guard, causing her to stumble to her feet. Then Madarame hurled some kind of black substance towards her. Yet while she was able to deflect most of it with her whip, there were still a few droplets that splattered onto her.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, what...?" Ann asked. "What is this stuff?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji ran over to Ann. "Are you okay?!" he checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, I'm fine," Ann answered. She tried to get up, but her body wouldn't move.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's wrong?!" Ryuji panicked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I feel...weak..." Ann muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That attack must be sapping your strength!" Morgana realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pixie, keep an eye out on Panther!" Ren ordered. "Everyone else, don't get hit by the black paint!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Unfortunately, that ended up becoming Madarame's main source of attacking. <b>"Here! There's plenty to go around!"</b> he cried out as he hurled more black paint at the team.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As a result of the large amounts of spewed paint, the team had to duck into the bushes for cover, while Pixie stayed by Ann's side to heal her. Meanwhile, Jack Frost had no other choice but to stay by the sidelines. He wanted to help, but he wasn't sure how. If only there was some way he could contribute to the team-</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hee?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This must be what his cognition represents," Ren concluded while he hid behind a bush. "He thinks he can control anyone by painting over anyone who interferes."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That bastard!" Ryuji growled, staying by Ann's side.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There had to be something we can do," Yusuke spoke up as she dodged another spray of black paint.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Over here, hee-ho!" Jack Frost called out. "I found some weird stuff, hee-ho!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hearing the living snowman's voice, Ren noticed he was standing next to cans of black paint. "Everyone, look over there!" he called out. "I think Jack Frost found something useful!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana rushed over to Ren's side.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Isn't that the same stuff Madarame is using?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think so," Ren answered. "If we can turn it against him, we can weaken him enough so he won't be able to retaliate."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll do it," Yusuke volunteered. "Just leave it to me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in agreement. "All yours."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Madarame let out a deep laugh. <b>"Give up yet?!"</b> he taunted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As if on cue, Ren, Ryuji, Ann, and Morgana charged in with Pixie staying by the sidelines as usual. Madarame then proceeded to manifest another explosion...</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...but that proved to be ineffective when Ryuji whipped out his shotgun and blasted both eyeball paintings. This was soon followed by the others launching their own attacks, with Ann and Morgana using their respected Personas and Ren alternating between knife and gun attacks. However, Madarame soon retaliated with a couple more explosions. And given that Ann was still affected by the black paint, she received twice as much damage, resulting in Pixie rushing over to her for healing.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"Is that all you got?!"</b> Madarame mocked as he laughed. <b>"It's over for you!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Madarame!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That was none other than Yusuke, who made quick work with splashing paint onto each of the four paintings. Just like what Ren predicted, the black paint was also sapping away the Shadow's own strength.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p2"><b>"My strength is fading away...!"</b> Madarame panicked.</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now's our chance!" Ren exclaimed as he charged towards the paintings. "Let's take him out!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed was a flurry of rapid attacks between weapons and Personas. With the four paintings unable to recover, this battle was finished up a lot quicker than expected. But once the paintings were all defeated, they dissolved into black goo, causing Madarame's true self to come out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"Dammit... I'm the great Madarame!"</b> he exclaimed. <b>"The Madarame who gathers a full crowd every time he opens an exhibit! I'm not someone that worthless brats like you are allowed to defy! If you brats can't fathom that, then you'll witness it for yourselves! Behold, my master craft!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">In a flash of golden light, four replicas of Madarame wearing different colored kimonos materialized. Before the team could retaliate, the copies lunged towards Ren, Ryuji, Morgana, and Ann, forcing Yusuke to deal with the original Madarame all by herself. As a result, the team's initial advantage was gone in an instant, especially when the copies were mostly paired up with elemental weaknesses in mind.</span>
</p><p class="p2"><b>"You dare defy an esteemed elder?"</b> the blue Madarame asked Ann as he threw ice blocks at her. <b>"May you be frozen in fear!"</b></p><p class="p2"><b>"Damn clueless brats..."</b> the red Madarame growled while he trapped Ren in a fiery cage. <b>"My fiery rage shall reduce you to mere ashes!"</b></p><p class="p2"><b>"Disappear from my sight without a trace, like dust scattered in the wind!"</b> the green Madarame ordered, creating a blustery gust towards Ryuji.</p><p class="p2"><b>"My brilliance strikes like a flash of lightning!"</b> the yellow Madarame exclaimed. <b>"And now you'll taste it for yourself!"</b> He then fired bursts of electricity at Morgana.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As for the real Madarame, he materialized a katana and engaged in a swordfight with Yusuke. Blades clashed with loud clangs as the two refused to back down. As they fought, they also engaged in not-so-playful banter.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"You're a disgrace, Yusuke,"</b> Madarame scolded. <b>"After everything I have done, you insist on playing make-believe and dressing up like a woman. What happened to the boy who stayed quiet and obeyed me?"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Enough of your foolish mockery!" Yusuke shouted. "You kept me from seeing my true self for so long! It wasn't until I discarded my old skin that I realized who I truly am! I am a woman, no matter what you say to me!"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"So you'll continue to delude yourself into a world of pretend?"</b> Madarame asked. <b>"The public will slaughter you! No one will accept a monster such as yourself!"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Silence!" Yusuke cried out. She proceeded to knock Madarame's katana out of his grasp and had hers dangerously close to his throat. "Don't waste your breath!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But instead of looking panicked, a wide grin appeared on Madarame's face. <b>"I'm not bluffing,"</b> he insisted. <b>"Society shuns anyone who does not fit the ideal mold. It wouldn't take much for your future to get ruined. All I have to do is expose your status as a freak and everyone in the art world will reject you. After all...we both know that's not what you really look like."</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke's eyes widened underneath her mask. Madarame was right. Despite realizing her true gender, her body didn't change overnight. This was only what she looked like in the Metaverse. However, this shock quickly went away when a thought crossed her mind.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can change it."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"Excuse me?"</b> Madarame asked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I said, I can change it," Yusuke repeated, confidence blooming in her voice. "If you are right about me being shunned, I can use my body as a canvas and create the ideal image of a woman. I'm not quite sure how, but I shall become my own masterpiece! No one will ever ridicule me if I look exactly like the woman I see myself as!" She lowered her katana and stepped back before taking off her mask. "Now, prepare yourself! Come, Goemon!"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p2">With Goemon materialized in a flash of blue flames, he inhaled into his pipe and breathed out an icy gust of wind. But unlike the previous time, there were butterfly-shaped snowflakes inside the icy blast. This powered-up attack was enough to knock Madarame off his feet, leaving him too weak to continue.</p><p class="p2">She did it.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke Kitagawa had completely broke free from her former sensei's control.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0063"><h2>63. A Thief with a Peculiar Mask</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Madarame reveals a somewhat important bit of info.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Despite being knocked down, Madarame slowly started to get back on his feet. However, he was caught off guard by a sudden blast of dark red energy. That was none other than Ren, who had somehow defeated the red copy while Yusuke was having her swordfight.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"You!"</b> Madarame shouted. <b>"How were you able to defeat my creation?! I made sure to take weaknesses into account!"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Except my Persona is weak to ice and light energy," Ren pointed out. "Chrysalis is the one who's weak to fire."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"What?!"</b> Madarame exclaimed as he took a few steps back. <b>"You think I, the great Madarame, made an error?!"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Meanwhile, the other phantom thieves noticed the copies they were fighting suddenly became very weak. "Hey, something's wrong!" Morgana realized as slowly got back on his feet. "Could he have...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So this is the true limit of your skill," Yusuke noted. "How infantile." She spun around to face Madarame, her kimono swishing in-sync with her graceful movements. "To think your counterfeits are just as weak as your feeble form. Please! Don't disappoint me any further!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I get it," Pixie realized. Sparks flickered between her wings. "The copies are extensions of Madarame himself. Take them out and he'll fall as well." She cracked her knuckles. "C'mon, Jack Frost! Let's provide some assistance!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hee-ho!" Jack Frost cheered as he and Pixie charged towards the copies.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed was a rather quick battle. Pixie shot an electrical bolt at the green Madarame while Jack Frost shielded Ann from the blue Madarame's ice attacks. Those actions allowed her and Ryuji to gain the upper hand and summon their respected Personas. All that was left was to help out Morgana, which Jack Frost accomplished by firing an icy blast as the yellow Madarame as a distraction. It worked, allowing the not-cat to finish him off using Zorro. Once the copies were all destroyed, all that was left to finish off Madarame himself. And after a flurry of elemental attacks from all five Persona users and their Shadow allies, he was defeated after a brutal slash from Goemon.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">In a moment of panic, Madarame grabbed Sayuri as Yusuke approached him. <b>"No one cares for true art,"</b> he said. <b>"All they want are easily recognizable brands! I'm a victim in this too! Wouldn't you agree?!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Excuses now?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"The art world revolves around money after all,"</b> Madarame continued. <b>"You can't rise up without any money. Yusuke, you understand, don't you? Being a poor artist is truly miserable! I just didn't want to return to that life!"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke snatched Sayuri away from Madarame. "A fiend like you has no right to speak about the world of art!" she spat out. "You're done for, along with this whole wretched world!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Madarame started panicking. <b>"No, please!"</b> he begged. <b>"Just...don't kill me!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How tempting..." Yusuke pondered. "But that won't be your fate. Return to yourself in reality and confess your crimes! All of them, including how you raised me into thinking I was male!"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"Y-You're not going to kill me?"</b> Madarame checked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Swear it!" Yusuke snapped.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1"><b>"Wh-What about the other one though?"</b> Madarame suddenly asked. <b>"The one with the black mask?"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry about him," Ren answered, shooting a quick glance over at Morgana. "He's not the killing type."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"Not the cat!"</b> Madarame corrected. <b>"Someone entirely different!"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It can't be..." Morgana spoke up. "There was another intruder besides us within this Palace?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before the team could ask about it further, the ground started trembling. "Wh-What's going on?!" Jack Frost panicked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This Palace is starting to collapse," Pixie informed her wintery friend. "Just stay by Joker's side and you'll be fine!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Morgana turned into a bus to allow the others to get on, Madarame looked back at Yusuke one last time. But instead of seeing the bluenette, he saw someone else entirely: an older woman dressed in red. He let out a sharp gasp, almost as if he saw a ghost.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"Hey... What should I do?"</b> the Shadow self meekly asked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Put an end to all of this and use your own artwork for once," Yusuke coldly answered. "I was told you used to paint hands. Go back to making those paintings."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Chrysalis!" Ann called out from the cat-bus.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet as Yusuke left with the other phantom thieves, Madarame was having a breakdown. <b>"No, wait! Please!"</b> he sobbed. <b>"Forgive me, Shiroi! Forgive meee!"</b></span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <b>The destination has been deleted.</b>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good," Ren said, now standing outside Madarame's shack with the others. "It's finally gone."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It would be bad if people started getting suspicious of us," Morgana pointed out. "We should leave at once."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yusuke, c’mon," Ryuji urged, noticing she was staring at the painting in hand.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right..." Yusuke agreed. She took one last look at the shack. "Goodbye, Madarame. And good riddance."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">When the team arrived at the karaoke bar, they ordered some drinks as a way of celebrating a successful heist. As for Ren, he took out his phone, hoping Jack Frost was able to survive the Palace's collapse. Sure enough, a new text notification popped up.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">⛄️:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Where am I? Who turned off the lights?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Relax, you're in Ren's phone.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">⛄️:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Pixie! You're here, hee-ho! But what do you mean we're in a "phone"?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I mean, this is where I go when Ren returns to the real world. We're somehow connected, so wherever he goes, I go. The rules here are simple. We can hear everything from outside the phone, the camera features acts as our eyes, and we can only communicate through the messenger app.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">⛄️:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So everyone can see what I'm saying at this exact moment?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Pretty much.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jack Frost was silent for a few seconds before he spoke again.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">⛄️:<br/></span> <span class="s1">This is confusing, hee-ho.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You'll get used to it," Ren reassured.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Glad to see our new Shadow friend made it out alive," Morgana commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Same," Ryuji agreed. "All that's left is to see if Madarame had a change of heart or not."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The Sayuri..." Yusuke muttered, her gaze fixated on the painting.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're not gonna get all teary-eyed and say stuff like 'Mom...' are ya?" Ryuji teased.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"To think that this painting was the source of Madarame's distorted desires," Yusuke said. "The only saving grace is that my mother won't know of what transpired."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The genuine painting at his atelier has been altered, after all," Morgana remembered. "Ironic as it may be, this one here is her true self-portrait now."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I prefer this version over that Mona Lisa copycat," Ren decided. "I can only imagine my mom's reaction if she saw it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's a wonderful painting," Ann complimented. "And...although it took some time, it's in your hands now, Yusuke-chan."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm thankful for it," Yusuke confessed. "However, it's impossible for this painting to be acknowledged by society anymore."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I get why," Ren said. "Madarame revealed his version years ago. If we showed everyone this version now, people will dismiss it as another counterfeit."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're correct," Yusuke agreed. "I must inherit my mother's wishes and improve myself even further. And yet I was unaware this was her face until Madarame mentioned a female pupil. There's no way that I would remember her so clearly. But...I was right about the rush of emotion I felt when I saw this painting."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji took a sip from his drink. "So, what're you gonna do now?" he asked Yusuke. "We're gonna keep targetin' big shots."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why do you do such things?" Yusuke wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's to get back at scumbags and like...society in general," Ryuji answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're also helping out those who can't fight back," Ren added. "If we stop corrupted people now, there won't be another attempted suicide."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Will doing such a thing make the more innocent ones happy?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It doesn't hurt to try," Ren said with a shrug.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right," Ann agreed. "There's no knowing what might happen. We just have to give it a try."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In other words, it all depends on the person," Yusuke interpreted. "Then the same can be said about myself right now. I also suffered because of an adult's selfish act. Moreover, if we investigate these Palaces, it may expand my artistic repertoire."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You really only think about art, huh?" Ryuji commented. "You're impressive."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well I won't take part in any inelegant plans," Yusuke decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No worries!" Ann reassured. "We have a rule that says we always have to decide on a target unanimously."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We could give our calling cards a lot more oomph if we have you on our team," Morgana pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Although, there is a favor I must ask," Yusuke said. She looked over at Ann. "Could you...teach me how to dress as a woman?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure thing, Yusuke-chan!" Ann agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"At any rate, I'm curious," Morgana said, changing topics. "Another intruder besides us, huh?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Our only clue is a black mask, so that doesn't necessarily mean it's just one person, right?" Ann remembered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Morgana has a black mask," Ren pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Didn't you hear what Madarame said?!" Morgana shouted. "It's not me!"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">⛄️:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We could go back and ask Madarame for more questions, hee-ho.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We can't," Ryuji said. "The Palace is gone."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll try probing Madarame," Yusuke volunteered. "I may be able to learn something from him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you sure?" Ann asked. "I mean-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll contact you all if anything turns up," Yusuke insisted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then let's exchange contact information," Ren decided. "I'll add you to our main group chat."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, Yusuke exchanged her contact information with Ren, Ryuji, and Ann. "An artist and a phantom thief..." the bluenette said. "Ah, it seems I'll be engaging in two trades from here on. Very well. You only live once, after all. Still, the incident about this other intruder does concern me a little."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0064"><h2>64. First Crush</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>An unexpected visitor stops by at LeBlanc.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When it got closer to nighttime, Ren headed back to LeBlanc. During this time, he chatted a bit with Morgana.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not only have we dealt with our second big target, we even have a new addition to the team!" the not-cat cheered. "Goodness, things are going so well! You're even making progress with improving yourself!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks, but we can't get too cocky," Ren pointed out. "It will only give our enemies an upper hand."</span>
</p><p class="p1">"That's true," Morgana agreed. "Still, let's honestly be happy about it right now. But I have to say, you sure are something special."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're exaggerating," Ren dismissed. "I'm just trying to be a normal high school student getting through probation."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm serious!" Morgana insisted, gently tapping Ren on the head. "This is our fifth Persona user. It'll help broaden our battle strategies as well. Besides, having an eye for beauty is a must for phantom thieves. We're lucky to have Yusuke. An artist is a talent you rarely come across. I mean, she is sheltered with very little understanding towards the outside world, but still..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ann said she'll help her dress more feminine," Ren recalled. "I'm looking forward to seeing the results."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"An artist, huh..." Morgana pondered. "What kind of person do you think I was? There's no way I'd turn out to be some bad guy in the end, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren thought about it before speaking. "You know what I think?" he asked. "I think you were once a great thief who used to be a normal high school student. Then one day, you stumbled into the Metaverse, awakened to your Persona, and became a phantom thief."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You just described yourself," Morgana noticed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It does help, doesn't it?" Ren pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Kind of..." Morgana admitted. "I get so engrossed with the embodiment of human desires. And that's not all. When it comes to the Metaverse, I'm the only one who can transform into a car. I'm special...but it's still odd." His ears drooped. "But...that description from earlier... Do you really think that's who I am?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Absolutely," Ren answered without any hesitation.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana's ears perked up. "Well, there's no way a dashing, honorable rogue like me could be evil," he bragged. "A man who saves those in trouble in the west, while punishing evildoers who may lurk in the east! A man who chastises people that smoke inside in the south, while saving bullied cats in the north! A man who has a sturdy body and vows to always do one good a day, be it rain or shine! I'm that kind of ideal person...or so I hope. So if I turn back to being human, surely she'll take notice of me, won't she?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not if a certain track runner beats you to it," Ren teased.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But despite the teasing, Morgana was completely unaware of it. "Where should I go when I become human?" he wondered out loud. "I wonder where she'd like to go... An amusement park, a movie theater, a fancy cafe, shopping... What do you think?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At this point, Ren finally arrived back at LeBlanc. "You could accompany her while she's modeling," he suggested as he opened the cafe door. "You might get bonus points if...you..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The dark-haired teen was unable to finish his sentence due to an unexpected visitor. Longish brown hair, maroon eyes framed with dark eyelashes, a tan peacoat framing his slender figure, black gloves holding up a coffee mug...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It was him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He finally came back.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fancy seeing you again," Akechi said, a calm smile gracing his handsome face.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh... H-Hi..." Ren stammered, slowly making his way towards the attic steps. "I just need to...get ready for my shift."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Take your time," Akechi said. "I have no plans to leave."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, Ren dropped off his bag and switched out his school blazer for his LeBlanc apron. But this time, he looked a bit too nervous.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see what's going on," Morgana teased as he rested on the desk. "You just want to spend time with your crush."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's not a crush!" Ren nervously denied. "I-I just..." He was unable to finish his sentence as a pink tinge stained his cheeks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey... It's okay," Morgana reassured. "There's nothing wrong with having a crush."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"But...what if he's not flirting with me?" Ren panicked. "What if it turns out he likes girls?"</p><p class="p2">"You won't know until you make that first move," Morgana said. He hopped off the desk and headed for the stairs. "C'mon, I'll stick around and be your secret wingman."</p><p class="p2">"Thanks," Ren sighed in relief. But while he and Morgana left the attic, they were completely unaware of text notifications that suddenly beeped.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yo, good job guys.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We all did our best.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Allow me to express my thanks once again. Because of you, I was able to retrieve the painting that had been filled with my mother's love.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hey, don't worry about it. I'll let Ren know about your gratitude.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">He's not here?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That food blog guy showed up, so he practically dropped everything to talk to him. Does love make you humans do stupid things?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Well not everyone. Anyways, you saying that makes the whole thing worth it, Yusuke!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Seriously. I wasn't sure you'd really want to change Madarame's heart.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm sorry to have worried you. I have no regrets about it now.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">And the change of heart WILL happen this time, right?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I dunno, hee-ho. Why would you say that? Haven't you done this before?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Well yeah. It's only our second time doing this, after all.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So...what about that black mask person who's apparently not Morgana?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You mean about the other intruder besides us?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, that's the one!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That may have been nothing more than a lie. Madarame was quite deranged at that point, after all. For now, we should wait for his change of heart in peace.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">OK.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Like that part's going to be any different.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sure, I guess.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So we're playing the waiting game? That sounds like fun, hee-ho! I wanna win!</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">While that important text conversation was going on, Ren was having a pleasant evening helping out at LeBlanc. He especially enjoyed listening to Akechi speak, even if he was occupied with the smooth, honey-like tone in his voice. He was so in awe over how perfect he was when it came to his looks and personality. Even just seeing him made the dark-haired teen act like a giddy younger teenage girl.</p><p class="p1">There was no doubt about it. Ren Amamiya had fallen in love with Goro Akechi.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0065"><h2>65. Training the Heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>While waiting for the change of heart, Ren kills some time by doing various things.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Later that night, Ren found himself back in the Velvet Room after going back to sleep. Just like before, he was expecting Igor to tell him about the latest Palace infiltration.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You have expelled one who was stained in vanity," Igor spoke up. "You are now one step closer to your rehabilitation. It's a delightful thing indeed."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Our master is pleased," Justine complimented. "You should be honored, Inmate."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"However, that man's remarks are concerning," Igor continued. "It seems another has made their way into the Metaverse."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Do you know who that is?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That is beyond my knowledge," Igor confessed. "But your rehabilitation is progressing smoothly. That is for certain. May the devotion to your rehabilitation grow even deeper. I have high hopes for you."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">The next morning, Ren agreed to hang out with Ann for the day. But before he left the attic, he received an unexpected call from Yusuke.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm calling about Madarame's state," the bluenette reported. "For the time being, he hasn't suffered a mental shutdown. Other than that, his demeanor seems to have soften a bit and he has dropped the use of pronouns when referring to me. Is that the change of heart?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It could be," Ren answered. "Kamoshida excused himself from school before he confessed to his crimes, so I'm not sure about what happens before the public confession."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." Yusuke replied. "Speaking of Kamoshida, I was curious and looked into him as well. It's as if he was an entirely different person. Will the same be true for Madarame?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hope so," Ren answered. "Kamoshida didn't confess until the day of the deadline. The same is most likely true for Madarame, so we have to wait until the exhibit ends before we see any real progress."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you for the information," Yusuke said. "That's all I wanted to tell you. Good-" She paused. "Oh. I'll try asking him about the black-masked intruder from the Palace when the time is right. Goodbye then. This time for sure."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, Ren met up with Ann at Inokashira Park. She chose the location to start their mental training, but he wasn't quite sure why this particular spot.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Man, big open places like this are great!" Ann exclaimed as she stretched her arms above her head. "I think our training's going to go super good today!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what do you have in mind to help train the heart?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann lowered her arms. "I think having a strong heart means you don't let anything get under your skin," she explained. "So basically, I want you to say stuff to me, and I'll try not to get fazed by it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What kind of stuff...?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We've already started!" Ann shouted. "I won't let that hesitation shake me! C'mon, hit me with your best shot!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"O-Okay..." Ren stammered slightly. It took him a while to come up with something. "You're a total weirdo."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann was a bit surprised, but she kept at it. "Yeah, yeah, yeah! And?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're a puppet used for everyone else's amusement," Ren continued.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh-huh, uh-huh," Ann muttered with a nod. "What else?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's your fault Suzui almost died," Ren said. "If you didn't stand up to Kamoshida sooner, this whole mess could have been avoided."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That was what struck a nerve. Ann was about to say something, but no words came out of her mouth.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess that means I win," Ren realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait...what kind of insults were the previous things you said?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren didn't respond. "Were those things people said to you back home?" Ann guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Yes," Ren confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maybe we should stop before things get out of hand..." Ann decided. "We might end up saying something hurtful if we continue."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're right," Ren agreed. "We should try something else to train the heart. Maybe...meditation?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ooh, I know just the place!" Ann exclaimed. "It's-" Suddenly, a text notification interrupt her. "Oh, sorry. I just got an email from my agency."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You can read it later," Ren pointed out. "So what place did you have in mind?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's this shrine over at Shinjuku," Ann explained. "We can go over there to meditate."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That sounds like a good place to train our hearts," Ren complimented. "Let's head over there."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">A while later, Ann brought Ren over to Meiji Shrine. Then, for the next half hour, the two sat there meditating. This was entirely new to the dark-haired teen, so he had a hard time staying focused. He kept getting distracted by idle thoughts. Ann, on the other hand, was having an easier time staying focused. It was amazing how she was able to stay in position the whole time. By the time they were finished, she was more relaxed than before, especially when she finally checked her email alert....although what she read did surprise her.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's wrong?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I got a notice reminding me to pay extra attention to the time and place," Ann explained. "Apparently some models haven't been showing up at all lately. Then when asked why they didn't come, the models all say they heard there was a change in schedule. It sounds like shoots have been real hectic with all the scrambling they've had to do for substitutes."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We should look into this," Ren suggested. "It feels like there's something unusual going on."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You think so?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response. "There might be a good chance you might end up falling victim to schedule changes. It's better to deal with it before they get out of hand."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's a good way of looking at it," Ann agreed. "Then it's settled. We'll meet up at the shrine to meditate and look into the sudden schedule changes."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sounds like a plan," Ren replied. He could sense a heightened motivation from Ann.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">That night, Ren met up with Yoshida to help improve his campaign. While he held up the placard, he noticed there weren't any hecklers this time around. In fact, no one bothered to stick around and listen. By the time Yoshida was done, he barely generated a large crowd.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hope you gleaned something useful from today's speech," Yoshida said. "Regardless of the audience's size, you must convey your thoughts as if you're talking one-on-one. By the way, I remember you telling me you want to become a politician to change society. Why is that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Personal reasons," Ren answered, not wanting to bring up his sexuality.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that so?" Yoshida replied. "Well as long as you have some kind of motivation, that's all right with me. May I ask you one more questions?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ren said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What kind of politician do you want to be?" Yoshida asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"One who keeps promises," Ren answered. "If I get elected, I want to follow through with my goals and stick with them."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, don't you ever forget that," Yoshida encouraged. "Although, what's important is what lies ahead. Allow me to give you some advice. If you aspire to get into politics, you must possess a central philosophy. What is it that you want to accomplish? That is the foundation of a great speech. You'd do well to remember that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That was helpful," Ren said. "Thank you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're quite welcome," Yoshida replied. "By the way, my philosophy is: Never give up until your voice is heard! To get your message across, be tenacious in conveying your thoughts to the audience. Have a firm point of view and communicate it clearly. That's the first rule in negotiating."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It might not easy for me, but I appreciate the advice," Ren said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yoshida let out a happy chuckle. "You have me reliving the fighting spirit I had when I first became a politician," he admitted. "I must say, it feels nice talking to an aspiring student."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren smiled in return. He greatly appreciated all of Yoshida's advice. He couldn't wait to put it into action once he makes it to campaigns.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0066"><h2>66. Ryuji's Plan to Destress</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ryuji sure can be forgetful, huh?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">For a while, nothing much happened. Ren was able to carry out his life as a normal high school student without a lot of issues. The only major difference was his time helping Ann uncover the mystery behind why the other models were complaining about schedule changes. They would meet up at Meiji Shrine, meditate for a half hour, and then discuss any new updates...although there weren't much to report.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Then one day, while waiting for the train to arrive, Ren was approached by Makoto. "We meet again," she said. "It appears you're lying low lately. What's with the change?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What change?" Ren asked, trying to hide the budding rage in his voice. "I'm acting the same as usual."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Really..." Makoto responded. "Is it just my imagination then?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I would appreciate it if you would mind your own business," Ren bluntly stated. "I'm just an ordinary high school student."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Anyhow, I wish the culprit would come forward soon," Makoto said. "It's absurd to pretend I can do the police's job. I wish he considered my feelings before asking me this."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Class was the same as usual. However, during homeroom period, Ren received a surprise text from Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Where's Morgana? He with you?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">He's off on his own.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Score! Then there's something we gotta talk about later. And don't tell Ann, okay?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren briefly glanced at Ann before returning his gaze to his phone. But before he could respond, two familiar names interrupted him.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">How come, hee-ho? Aren't you guys a team?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You better not be doing anything weird!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You know what's going on, Miss Pixie?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Geez... Are you really that naive?!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What's a naive?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren sighed before typing out his response.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Fine. I'll hear you out, Ryuji.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Thanks, RenRen! I knew I could count on ya!</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After school, Ren headed straight to the courtyard, but Ryuji didn't show up at first. It took him a while to actually arrive.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There you are!" Ryuji exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what's this important thing you wanted to tell me?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I need your help with something," Ryuji explained. He sat next to Ren on the bench. "I found this flyer stuffed in my mailbox." He took out a fruity-looking flyer with a girl wearing a maid outfit.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Victoria's Housekeeping Services...?" Ren read, feeling a bit confused. Why was his friend getting excited over some housekeeping service?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It says that a cute maid will do anything for you!" Ryuji said, sounding a little too excited. "A maid, dude! A MAID! Who'll do ANYTHING for us! Is that not the best thing you've heard in your entire life?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean...like to help at LeBlanc?" Ren hoped.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How are you this dumb?!" Ryuji shouted. "You're a guy, right? You know what I mean!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I don't..." Ren muttered slightly. How could Ryuji already forget?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let's give it a try," Ryuji insisted. "Luckily a guy on my floor just moved out so there's a vacant apartment in my complex. The key is behind the mailbox, so we can get in anytime. We're working so hard as phantom thieves, but we deserve to blow off a little steam, don't we?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, I heard that!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came from Mishima, who just so happened to overhear their conversation. "I was just wondering... Mind if I get in, too?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji let out a happy laugh. "You mean your into this kind stuff?" he asked. "At least you're more honest than this guy."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What...?" Ren muttered. Ryuji still didn't realize it?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I'm not into it!" Mishima corrected. "It's just for research! What does it mean that they'll do 'anything'? And do the maids look exactly and they're advertised? We need to determine whether or not this company just pretends to offer housekeeping services. It's definitely suspicious, and it's up to us to find out what that flyer really is! We gotta take down the bad guys!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As for Ren, he knew what this maid service was really advertising. The problem was that Ryuji kind of forgot that he's not exactly attracted to cute girls. He was having a hard time bringing that up. Yet at that moment, a thought crossed his mind.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What if girls wanted to contact this company?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And if so, maybe...</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Do they...offer butlers?" the frizzy-haired teen nervously asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji and Mishima looked at Ren in confusion, but realization dawned on the blonde teen. "Crap..." he muttered. "I forgot you're not..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right... You're gay..." Mishima told Ren. Then he realized what the implications were. "Wait... So you're in?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sort of..." Ren admitted. "But only if..." His pinks were tinted pink. "...they actually offer butlers."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right, RenRen!" Ryuji cheered. "That's my boy! We're doin' this tonight!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what's the codename for this operation...?" Mishima wondered. He thought about it for a few seconds. "Since we'll be watching them, it sound be something like...</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Operation Maidwatch!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nice! I like that!" Ryuji complimented. "Sounds epic!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once Ren left the school, he made a quick stop to LeBlanc to change out of school uniform for tonight. But first, he headed over to the clinic for his usual checkup. He felt a bit stronger after the latest Palace infiltration, so he wanted to see if he made any progress.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is everything all right?" Takemi asked once the checkup procedures were completed. "You seem fidgety. Something going on?"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nothing," Ren lied, still uncomfortable about the whole maidwatch thing. "Not really."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Takemi checked the new data on her clipboard. "Hmm... Your heart rate is more stable," she reported. "And I noticed a sharp decrease in baby fat near your waist."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"R-Really...?" Ren excitedly asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"As long as you continue to show healthy results, I hope you won't mind helping me test some of my experimental medicine," Takemi continued.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I did say I would explain once your stamina improves, after all. You'll be taking part in clinical trials from here on out. You had best prepare yourself for them."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren swallowed hard. <em>"The things I do for free health checkups..."</em></span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Regarding the in-game Confidants, the ones that will get the most focus in this fic are Magician, Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant (once the Futaba Arc is complete), Lovers, Chariot, Justice (naturally), Hermit, Devil, Sun, Faith, and Councillor. All other Confidants are implied to occur off-screen, especially since some of them will be completed by other phantom thieves.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0067"><h2>67. The Seventh Secret Keeper</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Gay guys and women prostitutes don’t mix.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That evening, Ren met up with Mishima outside a local bookstore. When he got there, he noticed Mishima was engrossed in a magazine of sorts.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey Mishima," Ren greeted. "What are you reading?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, Amamiya! Hey!" Mishima replied. He closed the magazine and put it back on the rack. "I was just looking up ideas for the Phan-Site. To tell the truth, I'm hoping it's a huge hit. It's my life's work! It's my mission!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Mishima could continue, Ryuji finally showed up. "Sup guys?" he greeted. "Were you waitin' long? Time for the operation! Time to Maidwatch!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maidwatch!" Mishima cheered.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maidwatch..." Ren muttered, still feeling a bit embarrassed.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Over at the empty apartment room, Mishima started to show signs of hesitation. "S-So we're really gonna do this, huh?" he checked. "You think it'll be okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Relax! If it turns out to be sketchy, we can just bail," Ryuji reassured. "The apartment's vacant, so it's not like we'll be messing with anyone's home."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Mishima chuckled slightly. "To think...Sakamoto has a brain," he complimented. "But if that's the case, then..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then..." Ryuji urged.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yep!" Mishima replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji looked over at Ren. "Okay, give 'em a call!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why me?" Ren asked. "This was your idea, Ryuji. Do it yourself."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I've done enough already," Ryuji said. "If not you, then Mishima."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"M-Me?!" Mishima stammered. "I-I'm not good with that kinda stuff! Seriously! Please, Amamiya!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing he didn't have much of a choice, Ren let out a defeated sigh and took out his phone to dial the number on the flyer. After a few rings, a male voice was heard on the other end.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you for calling! This is Victoria's Housekeeping!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They answered!" Mishima gasped, prompting Ryuji to shush him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I take it you're interested in our services, then?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"S-Services...!" Mishima stammered, his face turning red.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is there anyone in particular you'd like to request?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wh-What does he mean by request?!" Ryuji asked. "I dunno what to ask for!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren tightened his grip on his phone and took a deep breath before answering. "I-I'll take...your most charming butler."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed was Ryuji facepalming and Mishima mouthing a silent 'WHAT?' in disbelief as the two realized they probably made a huge mistake with tagging a gay guy along with them. It wasn't as if things couldn't get any wor-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sorry, did you say 'butler'?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Yes," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sorry, but your voice sounds too masculine. What would a male client want with one of our butlers?"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"W-Well, I..." Ren stuttered. He could feel his whole body freeze up. "You see, i-it's because..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not entirely sure what that was about, but let's just ignore that minor hiccup. We have a maid available in...twenty minutes. May I ask for your address?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, Ren hung up after Ryuji told him the apartment's address. Now all that was left to do was wait...which only made the two straight boys in the room impatient.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shit... This is really happening..." Ryuji realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A maid's services..." Mishima pondered. "Hey... What should we have her do? I was thinking we start with some cooking. Of course, I wouldn't mind some of the other services either. Should we hold a strategy meeting to discuss?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Count me out," Ren disagreed. "I tried to request a butler."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They said twenty minutes, right?" Ryuji checked. He groaned. "I gotta use the bathroom." He turned and headed for the bathroom, although Ren could hear him grumble 'I hope she's blonde' as he closed the door.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">About fifteen minutes later, Ryuji finally left the bathroom. "I-It's almost time," Mishima nervously reported. "You were in there for a while. Are you okay? Hey, did you wash your hands?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh?" Ryuji muttered. He rubbed his hands on his hoodie. "What? Who? Me?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Y-You're really nervous," Mishima noticed. He let out a shaky laugh.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Says the stutterer," Ren commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, a thought crossed Mishima's mind. "Uh, guys... Are high school students even allowed to use this type of service?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh?" Ryuji muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you mean 'huh'?!" Mishima shouted. "You should've researched it! What if they find out who we are?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How should I know?!" Ryuji asked in response. "But why would how old you are matter when it comes to housekeeping?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren sighed. "You didn't realize it?" he asked as he pushed up his glasses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Realize...what?" Ryuji replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think the housekeeping is a front for prostitution," Ren blurted out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"WHAT?" Ryuji yelped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If that's the case, we would've been screwed if your number had shown up on their caller ID," Mishima pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Prostitution..." Ryuji repeated, looking more nervous than before. "I thought it was like that cafe-" But he stopped talking when the doorbell rang.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good evening... I'm from the housekeeping service."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?! Already?!" Mishima panicked. "She's five minutes early! What do we do?! I'm not mentally prepared!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, the door's unlocked? Um, may I come in?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I can't do this!" Ryuji shouted. "Housekeeping's one thing, but an effin call girl service?!" He clutched his stomach. "Oh man, my stomach's not feeling so good... All right RenRen, I'm passing it on to you. And don't let her find out you're a high school student!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren wasn't paying attention to what else Ryuji and Mishima were saying. Before he knew it, they fled to the balcony, leaving him all alone...in the room...soon to be greeted by a 'maid'...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A loud gulp was heard from him as he heard the door open, prompting him to look away from the unknown visitor.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Excuse me... Oh, there you are! Good evening, Master. It's a pleasure to meet you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Unfortunately, that only made Ren feel worse.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s1">"That voice..."</span> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My name is Becky from Victoria," the 'maid' greeted. "And I will be your maid for the evening."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>"It sounds just like her..."</em> Ren thought to himself. <em>"But there's no way!"</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm going to fill your tired heart full of lovely energy!" Becky teased, but her client scooted closer to the window. He was not comfortable with this in the slightest.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Um... Nice to meet chu," Ren finally spoke, his voice wavering with shyness.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're going to get along so well!" Becky purred as she moved closer to Ren, but he tried his hardest to make sure she didn't get a glimpse at his face. "So tell me... What can I do for you today? I could do the cooking, cleaning, laundry... But there are other services I could provide if you desire."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That did it for Ren. The way Becky mentioned those other services felt familiar. Almost like...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s1">"Oh, Amamiya-kun..."</span> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please don't..." Ren muttered, trying to stay calm. "Not again..."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hmmm... You look young, Master," Becky noticed. "How old are you, exactly?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Not wanting to blow his cover, Ren said the first thing that came to mind.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well I..." He cleared his throat. "I'm a dad."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Unfortunately, Becky wasn't convinced. "Okay... Maybe I'll wait to provide those other services until you've matured a bit, Master," she decided. "Sooo... I'll be going now."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the hell?! She can't leave yet!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Quiet...!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is someone there?!" Becky called out, her attention fixated on the surprise voices.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh no!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shit! Run, Mishima!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Mishima...?" Becky repeated. "Wait, that voice... Sakamoto-kun!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that means...it is you!" Ren exclaimed. He gave a closer look at the 'maid's' face. "Ms. Kawakami. Am I right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed was Becky nervously stammering, trying to come up with some kind of excuse. But given how Ren was clearly not convinced, she had no other choice but to confess.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, it's me," Ms. Kawakami said. "Your homeroom teacher... And I'm in a maid outfit." She sighed. "I'm so done... I can't believe I got caught by some of my own students... I should've taken a job outside of the city. But I needed it to be close to school so I could go there after I finished work." She glared at Ren. "Who did you hear about this from? It was Ms. Chouno, wasn't it?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What? No!" Ren exclaimed. "It was Ryuji's idea! He and Mishima talked me into joining them!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure they did..." Ms. Kawakami responded, not sounding convinced. "That harpy's been snooping on all the teachers ever since that incident with Mr. Kamoshida! Are you going to tell Ms. Chouno about this?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm telling the truth!" Ren insisted, getting more flustered. "Ryuji was the one who set me up! I don't even like girls!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing he blurted out something personal, the dark-haired teen frantically covered his mouth as his eyes widened behind his glasses. He didn't mean to say it like that. But what else was he supposed to say? She didn't seem convinced that Ryuji was to blame...until now.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Those rumors from your hometown..." Ms. Kawakami remembered. "So that's why my boss mentioned something about requesting a butler. You were asking for one."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response as he lowered his hands, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Look, it won't be any better for you if people find out that you called a maid service," Ms. Kawakami continued. "Well, I'll promise to keep both your sexuality and this encounter a secret...so why don't we both forget this ever happened? I'll treat this as if you had canceled, so you won't have to pay anything. Okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ren agreed, feeling relieved. Thank goodness the provided maid just so happened to be a familiar face...</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0068"><h2>68. Curious Findings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tokyo is a place full of new discoveries.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once Ren was sure Ms. Kawakami had completely left, he exited the apartment to head back to LeBlanc. But on the way back, he bumped into Morgana right near Big Bang Burger. For some reason, the not-cat looked a bit frazzled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There you are," Ren said once Morgana was back in his bag. "I haven't seen you for most of the day. Where were you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I almost got kidnapped!" Morgana exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who would kidnap a cat?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Given by my experience, some crazed girl," Morgana answered. "She had this strange look in her eyes and she was chasing me around, calling me a 'snowball' or something. I wonder if she's been going after other cats and snatching them up like she tried with me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Only one way to find out," Ren said as he took out his phone. But when he searched 'cats being kidnapped' on the Phan-Site, no results were listed. "No good. I can't find any relevant posts. Why aren't people talking about this?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maybe it's just not a well-known problem yet," Morgana guessed. "The only victims are cats, so I suppose that could be the case. Let's try investigating and see if we can find the culprit- Hey, are you still listening?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right, search around to find any leads regarding disappearing cats," Ren recalled, but something else was on his mind. Right next to Big Bang Burger was a fancy-looking hair salon. There was nothing much about it that stood out, but the sign looked familiar...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana stuck his head out of the bag. "Beauty's Delight?" he read. "Why are you so interested in a hair salon?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's my mom's company," Ren revealed. "I heard it opened up in different countries, but I didn't know there was a branch in Tokyo."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Your mom owns a hair salon chain?!" Morgana asked. "That's incredible!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She wouldn't admit it, though," Ren continued. "It started as a way to sell hair products of her own design to help other people who have uncontrollable frizz. With my dad's help, she was able to afford enough money to maintain her business."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So your mom is the main moneymaker of your family," Morgana concluded. Then he realized what his human companion was implying. "Wait, is her hair frizzy just like yours?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Unfortunately," Ren answered with a small sigh. "She mostly hides that by straightening it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You don't," Morgana pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Only for formal events," Ren added. "It's to help maintain our reputation as a perfect, wealthy family."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana couldn't help but chuckle. "You with straight hair, huh?" he said. "I can't imagine what that looks like."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">The next morning, Ren felt far more exhausted than usual, a result of stopping by the bathhouse instead of going straight to bed upon returning to LeBlanc. He had to cool off after the stunt Ryuji and Mishima pulled, so he figured bathing would help.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">So by the time Ren got to the train station, he was clearly exhausted from staying up far too late. He tried to look more awake when Yusuke approached him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah, it's you..." the slender artist said. "Madarame's ill, but the exhibit is still going strong. I can no longer respect him as my sensei, for both the plagiarism and forcing me to think I am male. It does not matter that I don't have a mentor anymore. I can only see him as nothing more than a deceitful fiend and a toxic influence."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about me?" Ren offered. "If you need someone to talk to, I'm all ears."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Talk...? To you?" Yusuke asked, alarmed. She smiled softly. "Now that I think about it, I don't believe I've ever had someone I could simply talk to. Well, perhaps I may need a sounding board sometime. I hope you'll humor me then."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The school day was as typical as ever. Yet as Ren was about to meet up with Ann at Meiji Shrine, he couldn't help but overhear a surprisingly relevant conversation.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We are not done talking, Ms. Kawakami!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please, I just want to-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There have been all sorts of scandals on this campus lately!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hiding behind a corner, Ren peaked around to see Ms. Chouno interrogating Ms. Kawakami. He thought back to what happened last night, with his homeroom teacher suspecting Ms. Chouno as the one who told him about the housekeeping service. Despite being told to forget about it, he was still curious. What was going on between the two?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Each and every teacher is under incredible scrutiny!" Ms. Chouno continued. "Yet you are always skipping out early! You barely even make it to the faculty meetings! Explain yourself! Don't tell me you're out running around at night!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ren took the opportunity to step in. "Ms. Kawakami," he said, walking over to the two teachers. "So sorry to bother you. I had another question."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...What?" Ms. Chouno asked. "Another question?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's right," Ms. Kawakami confirmed. "Amamiya-kun's having trouble with certain class assignments, so I take time at night to help him. Well, except for social studies. Mr. Ushimaru has told me it's his best subject. He's having trouble with his other classes."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you're giving individual lessons outside of school hours?" Ms. Chouno checked. Then she smiled wide. "What passion! You are the ideal teacher! A passionate teacher is exactly what we need at this school. I'm sorry for suspecting you. Well then, keep up the hard work, you two."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With Ms. Chouno dealt with, Ms. Kawakami brought Ren to a private area in school. "I can't talk about this at school," she informed, giving the dark-haired teen a scrap piece of paper. "This is the address and phone number of my night job. Call at night and request me. Just be careful that it doesn't show up in your call history though, okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ren answered, looking at the phone number that was scribbled on. He remembered there was a yellow pay phone on LeBlanc's counter. Maybe he could use that phone contact the housekeeping service...</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">As Ren was leaving Shujin for the day, he received a surprised text from Ryuji.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sorry about yesterday. Didn't know it was call girl service. I kinda feel bad for bailin' out on ya, so I'm turnin' over a new leaf! Meet me at Akihabara tonight and you'll see what I mean.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But Ren wasn't having any of it. He was still kind of annoyed at Ryuji for getting dragged into the Maidwatch.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Why would I do that?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It's uh... It's a surprise! I can't say anything else! I'll send you the address! You have to show up tonight! It's important!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Ren could respond, Ryuji sent him an address. Curious, he did a quick maps search for what was on-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Oh.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A maid cafe.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">WHAT?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ryuji..." Ren grumbled under his breath. How was a maid cafe supposed to make up for what happened last night?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't think Ryuji's giving you much choice," Morgana pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Letting out a disgruntled sigh, Ren texted back...much to his annoyance.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Fine. I'll go.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Thanks, RenRen! You won't be disappointed! And I mean it this time!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren sighed again as he put his phone away and headed for the shrine. What was Ryuji thinking? How would a maid cafe help clear up the Maidwatch disaster?</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So what do you think Ryuji’s apology to Ren is?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0069"><h2>69. Ryuji's Apology</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>What’s a guy to do after he forces his gay friend to spend the night with a maid?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's meeting with Ann was pretty much the same. After she mentioned how Shiho started physical rehab at the hospital, the two began their meditation session for the day. Yet just about halfway through, a notification beeped from Ann's phone, causing her to break concentration. But when she checked her phone, her annoyance turned to panic.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?! Now?!" Ann groaned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What is it?" Ren asked, trying to stay focused.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry, something just came up!" Ann apologized. "That was from my agency. One of the models didn't show for a magazine shoot they're doing. They're looking to wrap soon, so I'm gonna head over now to fill in." She stood up. "Sorry I have to cut this short."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let me come," Ren offered as he stood up as well.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Really?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You just said one of the models didn't show up," Ren explained. "I might be able to figure out what's going on if I come."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay," Ann agreed. "It's pretty close, so that's convenient."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">When the two arrived at the meeting spot, Ren noticed there was a pre-shoot briefing going on. He decided to not get involved, but there was one particular person who caught his attention: a slender girl with long brown hair. It was this particular girl who eagerly greeted Ann.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ann-senpai!" the brunette girl squealed. "I'm sooo pumped to get to work with you today! After I saw you in last year's show, I just..." She started gasping for breath. "Oh, I think I'm gonna cry..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"U-Um, it really wasn't a big deal..." Ann pointed out. "That fashion show was tiny."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"By the way, I'm Mika Rokuda," the brunette girl said. "And please, no honorifics. I might be older, but you have loads more experience. Ann-senpai."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right, M-Mika..." Ann said with a nervous laugh. "It feels a little weird saying it like that... Oh, and you don't need to use 'senpai' with me. Anyway, it's nice to meet you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Likewise, Ann-chan," Mika replied. She giggled. "You're so nice. Hey, can you teach me how to be a better model? You know, your everyday routines, stretches..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Routines?" Ann repeated. "You mean like...singing in the shower?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Mika was surprised to hear that. "Oh, is that all you do?" she asked, speaking in a sad tone. "Then, what kinda stuff do you eat? I've been looking all over for a place to import some organic green almonds. Plus I'm getting suuuper tired of eating quinoa. Do I need to like, boil it in hard water or something?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Um, almonds?" Ann asked in response. "I only ever eat those when they're covered in chocolate. And hard water? Isn't it kinda tough to boil ice?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Mika stared at Ann dumbfoundedly. "Do you weigh yourself?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of, of course!" Ann answered. "Once a year for the health examinations at school."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"So...you're gonna keep it all a secret from me, huh?" Mika assumed. "I get it. I guess it's hard trusting someone you just met."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Th-That's not it!" Ann frantically corrected. "I just don't really think about that stuff! It has nothing to do with not trusting you. It's more that modeling is like a hobby for me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...What?" Mika asked as her eyes widened in shock. She started gasping hard. "Ann-senpai, that's so horrible! What do you mean you don't care about modeling for these guys?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That loud outburst attracted the attention of the cameraman and his assistant. "You said that, Ann-chan?" the assistant asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann was about to respond, but Mika bluntly interrupted her. "I love this magazine!" she continued. "Everyone tries so hard to make sure their product is the best!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The cameraman rushed over to Mika's side. "Mika-chan, just calm down," he advised. "Don't worry, we all know that you're giving it your all here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But...you guys work so much harder than me..." Mika said. "And I'm still the one getting comforted..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ann-chan, the truth is, we had both you and Mika-chan come down as substitutes for our missing model," the assistant admitted. "We wanted both of you on the cover, but if you're not really interested, don't bother coming. We'll use just Mika-chan."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry, I can do it alone," Mika reassured. "I read the concept docs on my way here. But Ann-senpai..." She glared at the blonde teen. "How dare you say such hurtful things! Do you really hate me that much?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Keep it civil, you two," the cameraman said. "Anyway, you good to go, Mika-chan?" He looked over at Ann. "Sorry about all this, Ann-chan. We won't be needing you. We'll reimburse your transportation expenses though, and even throw in a little extra for your trouble."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the magazine staff left for the photoshoot, Ren discreetly pocketed his phone. Something about Mika's behavior felt a teensy bit suspicious...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I really screwed that up..." Ann sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You didn't," Ren corrected. "That Mika girl didn't give you a chance to speak. If anything, she might be the one behind the other models not showing up."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You think so?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded as he took out his phone. "While you two were chatting, I secretly recorded the conversation starting with your chocolate almonds comment," he revealed. "I'll send the recording to Mishima to see if he can dig anything up on her."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That revelation surprised Ann. "You think she might be...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Most likely," Ren answered. "If we play things right, we should expect a wave of new posts on the Phan-Site. Luckily she just so happened to give us her full name, so we can check the MetaNav once Mishima gets some results."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wow..." Ann said. "All I could think about what how realistic her fake crying was."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It was probably to get sympathy from the cameraman," Ren assumed. "There's no doubt she's trying to kick you out of the modeling business. You'll have to be careful around her. Who knows what dirty tactics she might try."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll keep that in mind," Ann replied.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After spending the rest of the day with Ann, Ren headed over to Akihabara, the location of the supposed maid cafe Ryuji mentioned, when it got closer to nighttime. While the cafe's exterior looked rather plain, what was inside made the dark-haired teen feel somewhat...uncomfortable.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The atmosphere in here is kind of cute...in a cloying way..." Morgana commented once Ren was seated. "I wonder why Ryuji wanted you to come here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He said it was to make up for the whole Maidwatch thing," Ren recalled, still feeling a bit annoyed. "But I'm not sure why-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good evening, Master."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Surprised by the unusually-sounding deep voice, Ren noticed the server who walked over wasn't a girl in a maid outfit. Instead, it was <a href="https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/megamitensei/images/d/d8/Ryuji-Butler-Costume.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20170420194546">a familiar-looking boy in a butler costume</a>. There was no doubt about it. It was obviously...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ryuji?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who's Ryuji?" the blonde teen asked in response, still speaking in the unusual deep voice. "I'm Christopher, your most charming butler. Is this your first time here?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"And probably the last," Ren answered.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, well... I'm so happy you came," Ryuji said. "This is your home, so please relax. So, what will your order be?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren checked the menu. Some of the items included coffee, tea, pancake, and omelets. After a few minutes of thinking, he decided on an item to order.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll have a stack of pancakes," Ren said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A Love★Pancake, correct?" Ryuji checked. "As you wish, Master."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Man..." Morgana sighed as Ryuji walked off. "This is pretty overwhelming... All the pink hurts my eyes... Why is Ryuji even working in a place like this?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not sure," Ren answered. "But I think this is his way of apologizing. I'll try asking him when he comes back."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, Ryuji came back with a reasonably-sized stack of pancakes. "Here it is," he said, setting the plate on the table. "Now I will top it with some love cream." He took out a pouch of squeezable whipped cream. "Love...insertion!" But instead of applying a tiny bit of cream, he deliberately squeezed a massive amount on top, resulting in about two layers of cream. "Oh no, I put too much love on it. Master, this shows how high my love goes. So you'll forgive me, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Sure," Ren replied, seeing this as his opportunity to finally get some answers. "But that's a lot of cream you put on. You wouldn't mind..." He smirked. "...sharing it with me, would you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I've never met a person as kind as my master-" Ryuji started to say. "Huh?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Come, have a seat," Ren offered. "This stack of pancakes looks like it's big enough for two."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... No really, I made this for you..." Ryuji insisted. "Please enjoy-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">SPLAT!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Ryuji could leave, he was caught off-guard with a sudden splat of cream slapped onto his face. He coughed for a while before speaking. "What the hell was that for?!" he shouted, speaking in his regular voice.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now we're even," Ren stated.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji sighed. "Okay, you got me," he admitted. "This is my way of making it up to you for the whole Maidwatch thing. You wanted a charming butler, so..." He gestured to his costume.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So it's not a part-time job," Ren concluded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?! No!" Ryuji exclaimed. "I'm a regular customer! I asked the maid who usually serves me if I could take her shift for tonight and she agreed." He groaned. "I had to memorize this whole script on how to act cute and clumsy. It's mandatory for the business."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"So that's why you were acting a bit stiff," Ren realized.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Look, it's the only thing I could come up with!" Ryuji exclaimed. "I wasn't sure what else to do after forcing you to be with that maid from the housekeeping service! I swear, no more crazy shit like that from now on!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren couldn't help but snicker. "I already told you," he pointed out. "We're even."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You for real?" Ryuji checked. He sighed in relief. "Thanks, man. But I still have to get back to work. I already told Clara I would cover her whole shift, not just for you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, while Ren enjoyed his pancakes (while also sneaking a few bites to Morgana), he watched Ryuji proceed to serve one customer after another, all while he spoke in the same stiff manner as before. He chuckled as he watched, feeling as if his bond with him had become deeper because of tonight.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0070"><h2>70. Political Studies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren meets someone new while assisting Yoshida.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After that, things finally returned to normal. Aside from Yusuke frequently texted the other regarding Madarame's condition, nothing much happened. Ren was back to working out with Ryuji and meditating with Ann, while often stopping by Takemi's clinic for checkups (with the added drug tests). Overall, not much happened.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Then on one Sunday evening, Ren was about to head over to Shibuya Station when he received a flurry of texts from Mishima.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Holy crap, Amamiya! You were right! That audio file you sent me caused the Phan-Site to crash!</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What happened?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span> <span class="s1">A lot of models responded. They said the same thing about how they recognized the voice. Most of the replies were accusations of how a model-in-training scared them all away. You should look into this.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Thanks, Mishima.</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the conversation over, Ren sent a single text to the other phantom thieves before he finally left LeBlanc.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Everyone, stock up. We're going to Mementos tomorrow after the cleanup.</span></p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Tonight's speech had the usual audience of barely any people. But this time, a suited man spoke up during the speech.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That approach isn't going to work!" he shouted. "You have to get the voters more excited! You're going to completely lose the hearts and minds of the people."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">Yoshida ignored the supposed heckler. "Again, what I'd like to say is-" But a quick glance made him stop speaking. "Councilman Matsushita!"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The suited man walked over to Yoshida. "It's been so long since we last spoke," he said. "I wanted to stop by to see how you were doing."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Matsushita noticed Ren holding up the plaque. "So you have a high schooler volunteering for you, huh?" he noticed. "My, times have changed." He walked over to the dark-haired teen. "Do you know about the Kuramoto Children?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, I do," Ren answered. "Mr. Yoshida told me."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That was nearly twenty years ago," Matsushita replied. "I'm impressed that you're so interested in politics."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Becoming a politician is my lifelong goal," Ren explained. "I want to help improve Japan's society."</p>
<p class="p2">"Is that so?" Matsushita asked. "I was a member of the Kuramoto Children as well. Yoshida and I joined the same year. I made an amazing career change, going from a pro wrestler to a Diet member. I was elected easily, but I had no idea what I was doing. I realized I wasn't elected on my own merit when I failed to be re-elected for a second term." He looked over at Yoshida. "That was true for the both of us."</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You made a great comeback, though," Yoshida pointed out. "You're truly an inspiration."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"As are you, old friend," Matsushita replied. "You're working harder than anyone on the campaign trail."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Oh, there's no need for false praise to impress Amamiya-kun," Yoshida said.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yoshida's well-informed about the inner working of politics, so I'm sure he'll be a great teacher," Matsushita told Ren. "However, I suggest you only do as he says and not as he does, if you want to become a Diet member."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?" Ren asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Is something the matter?" Matsushita asked in response.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I...haven't really thought about what position I should run for..." Ren sheepishly confessed. "I just want to be a politician."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you have no clear direction regarding your future," Matsushita concluded. "Do even know how you would secure votes?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren didn't respond. "Now hold on a second!" Yoshida stepped in. "Amamiya-kun is still a high schooler! He has time to think about what direction he wants to go in!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He needs to know he can't win an election by being completely honest and making good arguments," Matsushita argued. "He also has to win favor with the crowd as well."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While the two men were talking, Ren received a surprise text from his phone. Figuring the discussion might take a while, he decided to take a few seconds to check who responded.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Is the target who I think it is?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Mishima said the Phan-Site crashed after models responding to the recording of Mika.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Good. It's about time she got taken down a peg.</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That choice of wording confused Ren. Ann seemed a little too eager to change Mika's heart. But before he could respond, he was interrupted by Matsushita.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Amamiya-kun, was it?" the councilman checked. "Tell me, what about Yoshida here drew you in?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He was the first politician who would listen to me," Ren answered, subtly referring to the whole probation thing.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You address matters quite directly for a young person," Matsushita commented. "It seems you have been taught well."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I intend to teach him everything I know," Yoshida informed. "That's what we agreed on."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." Matsushita said. He gave Ren a once-over. "Although, you look rather familiar. And your last name... You wouldn't happen to be related to the Amamiyas of Ichib, would you?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why do you ask?" Ren asked in response.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That rural town is right next to Inaba, home of Secretary Taro Namatame," Matsushita continued. "You wouldn't happen to know what happened to him would you?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not really," Ren answered. "I heard he was involved in some kind of affair years ago, but I don't remember much. All I know is that he was able to recover and eventually returned to politics."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Precisely," Matsushita confirmed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But that information is in textbooks," Ren added, quickly assuming Matsushita was trying to expose his criminal record. "Anyone who's studying politics knows that."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That caught Matsushita off guard. "But your last name...!" he exclaimed. "It's-"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There are other Amamiyas in Japan," Ren interrupted. He pushed up his glasses. "You must have me confused for someone else."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Matsushita looked surprised by the response, but he composed himself rather quickly. "By the way, how are things between you and old man Kuramoto?" he asked Yoshida.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're still not on speaking terms," Yoshida answered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Matsushita was silent for a few seconds. "...There's something I'd like to get your opinion on, so I'll be in touch."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Very well," Yoshida replied.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">Once Matsushita left, Yoshida noticed Ren was still a bit tense. "Are you okay?" he checked.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why did he think I was related to the Amamiyas in Ichib?" Ren asked. <em>"And how did he find out about my proba-"</em></span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because they're a very famous family," Yoshida answered. "The current head, Ren Amamiya, and his wife Keiko made the news years ago with their arranged marriage. The wedding was even televised throughout the country. I assume Councilman Matsushita thought you were related to them, but it seems it's purely coincidental."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah..." Ren agreed, relieved it had nothing to do with his probation. "It is..."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">I know what you're about to say. Why did Ann send that text to Ren? Well this chapter is not quite done. For you see, while Ren was helping out Yoshida, Ann headed over to the Sky Tower in Asakusa. She had received an email from Mika explaining she was part of a photo shoot regarding her recent popularity and she specifically asked the blonde teen to take part in it. So despite some slight hesitation, Ann decided to go to the Sky Tower.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sure enough, when Ann got to the tower, Mika was already there. "Oh, so you came for my special," she stated.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You asked for me, right?" Ann checked. "Wow... I barely recognize you. Did you lose weight? Or maybe change your makeup?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The theme for today's shoot is 'the elegance of women'," Mika informed. "So, I conditioned my body to be more elegant."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wh-What do you mean?" Ann asked, confused by that choice of wording.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Controlling what you eat, how you move..." Mika clarified. "That's all. It may sound easy, but it's pretty tough. You have to write down everything you eat, making sure to check the nutritional and caloric content. I even hired a personal trainer to take special note of my diet and oversee my exercise regimen."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whoa... That's amazing!" Ann complimented. "Does that mean you don't get to eat double chocolate crepes?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Mika glared in response. "Of course I don't!" she shouted. "I'd get fat with just one bite of that stuff! Not to mention the other stuff I do! I take herbal medication, wear warming socks, do pilates and yoga day after day! How many squats do you think I do in a week?!" She groaned. "An causal like you could never understand how much work I put into my modeling!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann was surprised to hear that. "But I-"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Eeek!" Mika suddenly cried out. "Ann-senpai, stop ittt! You're scaring me!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That caught the cameraman's attention. "Mika-chan, are you okay?" he asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Man, cat fights are scary..." the cameraman's assistant sighed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once the two men had their back turned, Mika smirked in satisfaction. "Why are you doing this?" Ann asked. "I thought you looked up to me!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This isn't a game, Takamaki," Mika bluntly stated. "In the world of modeling, it's either eat or get eaten. And I refuse to be the one who gets eaten. Anyway, stupid amateurs like you really piss me off. You better not drag me down."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Mika walked off to get ready for the photo shoot, Ann heard a text notification go off on her phone. She decided to read it before she also got ready.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Everyone, stock up. We're going to Mementos tomorrow after the cleanup.</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Noticing the text was sent several minutes ago, Ann was quick to reply.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Is the target who I think it is?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Mishima said the Phan-Site crashed after models responding to the recording of Mika.</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shooting a quick glance at Mika, Ann was quick to let Ren know her decision.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Good. It's about time she got taken down a peg.</span></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0071"><h2>71. The Eighth Secret Keeper</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The day of the school cleanup results in newfound friendship.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A certain someone makes an early cameo in this chapter. Can you figure out who it is?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Today was the day of the school cleanup. After waking up early to do his usual pull-ups and have his morning coffee, Ren got dressed in his gym clothes and headed over to Inokashira Park. But along the way, he came across an unusual event.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry, but I'm in a bit of a hurry."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You go to Shujin, right? I heard things have been rough there lately, what with that violent incident. You wanna go talk about it somewhere?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you for your concern. However, I really am in a hurry, so if you'd excuse me..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Ren walked over to the source of the voices, he saw something that made him freeze up. Kasumi was grabbed by some middle-aged man. Given by the way she was trying to pull back, she was clearly uncomfortable. And yet...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>
    <span class="s1">"Damn brat! I'll sue!"</span>
  </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That painful memory drowned out everything else. He couldn't ignore it, yet what if it happens again? Being accused for shoving someone who just fell, kicked out of Shujin Academy, being forced to spend a year somewhere else...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It was all a constant cycle.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It will never end.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And all of those thoughts made him hyperventilate.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Breathe in.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Breathe out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Just walk away and act like this never happened-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you want?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"DON'T SUE!!!!" Ren panicked, unable to control his words.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The hell...?" the man grumbled. He scoffed and looked away from the dark-haired teen. "Weirdo..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the man distracted, Kasumi took the opportunity to pry from his grasp and run over to Ren. She hid behind him, causing his anxiety to worsen. Could this be when the second lawsuit happens?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What're you getting so jumpy about?" the man asked Kasumi. "Like you're anything special!" Luckily for Ren, he walked off.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the man gone, Kasumi bowed. "Thank you so much!" she exclaimed as she stood to her full height. "I'm sorry for the trou-" She noticed Ren's frantic breathing. "...Are you feeling okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It took a while for Ren to calm down before he responded. "Th-Thank you..." he gasped. "You saved me..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I should be the one thanking you," Kasumi disagreed. "That was rather scary..." She paused. "Ah— Um... May I ask you something?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ren replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Kasumi said. "Were you...trying to help me?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't ignore sexual assault," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." Kasumi commented. "Well, I apologize for asking something so strange. You're heading to the cleanup as well, right?" Realizing what she just said, she checked her phone, causing her to gasp. "Look at the time! I'm so sorry, I haven't even thanked you properly yet! I forgot my gym clothes at school! I'll see you at the cleanup, soon." She bowed again. "Pardon me!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Kasumi could leave, Ren stopped her. "Wait!" he called out. "You're Kasumi Yoshizawa, correct?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That surprised Kasumi. "...Yes," she confirmed. "I take it you heard my name from other students."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A teacher, actually," Ren confirmed, remembering her name in the library in Kamoshida's Palace. "I'm Ren Amamiya."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ren..." Kasumi muttered. She smiled sweetly. "It's nice to meet you, Amamiya-senpai."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, Ren arrived at Inokashira Park. He decided to meet up with Ann and Ryuji, who were currently waiting under a tree.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yo, what took ya so long?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was helping someone out," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann looked confused. "Did you really come here from home in your gym clothes?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that weird?" Ren asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, that's not what I meant..." Ann replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh?" Ryuji muttered. "Ain't it normal?" He gave a once-over at Ann. "And, uh, are you plannin' on doin' this cleanup in that outfit?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course not!" Ann answered. "I brought my gym clothes with me. I was gonna change in the bathroom, but now there's a huge line."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ohhh, that makes sense," Ryuji said. "Sounds like it sucks to be a girl."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Mishima walked over to the group. "It's such a nice day out that even the weather seems to be mocking us," he said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Dude, could you try pushin' your way into our conversation a little less awkwardly next time?" Ryuji sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I bet some Kichijoji clean-freak hung paper dolls all over and prayed for clear skies today," Mishima assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">If that wasn't enough, Maruki showed up. "Morning everyone," he greeted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh? Are you here for the cleanup too, Doc?" Mishima wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You got it," Maruki confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh, in those clothes?" Ryuji bluntly asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, no," Maruki corrected. "I'm in a different-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There you are, Dr. Maruki!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came from a nearby group of girls. "We're going to start prepping soon," one of them informed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Prepping what?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm part of the cooking crew," Maruki explained. "Hope you're looking forward to a solid meal. See you all later."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once Maruki left with his group, Ryuji looked a bit annoyed. "More like Dr. Popular..." he grumbled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sure the Phantom Thieves of Hearts will be even bigger someday," Mishima reassured.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, the cleanup began. "Good morning, Shujin Academy students and staff," Makoto greeted, speaking into a megaphone. "Please pick up all trash located in the areas assigned to your group. Once the cleanup is completed, a lunch of miso soup with pork and vegetables will be served."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ooh, pork miso soup!" Ann gushed. "So that's what Dr. Maruki's fan club is making."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"FYI, the school already assigned the groups at random," Mishima informed. "They're four people apiece, boys and girls mixed."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh...really?" Ryuji asked, sounding a bit disappointed.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">To put it lightly, the cleanup was...a total disaster. Ren's group wouldn't stop talking about him, Ryuji had to deal with his group thinking about stealing a discarded wallet full of money, and Mishima was just grumbling about careless litterbugs. Ann, on the other hand, had a somewhat better experience helping her group, such as teaching them how to properly discard broken umbrellas.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Um... Excuse me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was somewhat startled by the gentle voice. Turning around, he noticed a curly-haired girl had walked over to him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Can I help you?" Ren asked, holding a discarded plastic bottle.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you don't mind, may I have the cap on that bottle?" the curly-haired girl asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ren answered. He unscrewed the cap and gave it to her. "Why do you want it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Recycling companies collect these and convert them into vials for vaccines," the curly-haired girl explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh," Ren replied. "I didn't know they did that." But as he went back to cleaning, he noticed the curly-haired girl was still looking at him. "Is there anything else you need?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not really," the curly-haired girl answered. "I happened to notice your hair. What kind of shampoo do you use?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, uh... Some cheap brand that comes in small bottles," Ren recalled, thinking about the shampoo he's been using at the bathhouse.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well no wonder your hair looks unruly," the curly-haired girl said. She took out a small packet from her gym sweatshirt and held it out. "Here. Try using this the next time you bathe. It should help tame the frizz."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren looked at the packet, which made his eyes widen in shock. "Beauty's Delight...?" he read.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's the same brand I use," the curly-haired girl explained. "The salon that sells it is expensive, but they started giving away free samples as part of a new fundraiser."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That surprised Ren even more. "Really?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The curly-haired girl nodded in response. "It's only for a limited time, though," she added. "So if you like the brand, I recommend stocking up on these free samples while you can."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks," Ren replied, surprised that Beauty's Delight was promoting a fundraiser. "I'll keep that in mind."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, Makoto announced that the cleanup was completed and it was time to get soup. But as for Ren's group, they ditched him without a second thought. Yet shortly after they left, he was greeted by some new company.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh! I've finally found you, Amamiya-senpai," Kasumi said. "I was trying to find you so I could thank you properly for this morning." She noticed Ren was alone. "So... Where'd the other people in your group go?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They ditched me," Ren bluntly answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah... I see," Kasumi replied. "I'm in pretty much the same situation. If it's all right with you, why don't we eat our soup together?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ren agreed. "I could use the company."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, Ren and Kasumi sat next to each other on a park bench with their soup. As they ate, they also chatted about various things. It was a nice experience for Ren. Certainly a huge improvement to the actual cleanup.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I want to thank you again for this morning," Kasumi said. "That man was even more frightening that he might have appeared to you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was pretty shaken, too," Ren admitted. "The whole encounter felt too similar to an experience I once had. I tried to help a woman who was approached by a drunk man, but my involvement led to a nasty lawsuit."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's why you blurted out 'don't sue'," Kasumi realized. "But I appreciate you being there. Thank you so much."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... Sure," Ren replied. "Glad I could help."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry, but I'm not even finished!" Kasumi revealed. "There's one more issue I need to address. I'm also so sorry for what happened the other day!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Which day?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The run-in we had outside of the guidance office," Kasumi clarified. "Even since I came to Shujin, Mr. Kamoshida tried to hook me up with male students. I quickly caught on that they all had something in common: their sexuality."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think I saw that on the news," Ren recalled. "Kamoshida tried to hook you up with gay students?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kasumi nodded in response. "So when he suggested that I should hang out with you, I had a feeling it was another forced hookup attempt."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren looked a bit uncomfortable. "So you found out..." he muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, I did," Kasumi confirmed. "But if it helps, I know what it's like to hide your sexuality. The truth is...I actually have a girlfriend. Not a lot of people know about her, though. We've been trying to keep our relationship a secret."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you're just like me," Ren concluded, feeling a bit at ease with this reveal.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kasumi breathed out a sigh. "That actually felt nice to get that off my chest," she admitted. "After being forced to act straight for so long, it's nice to finally be myself."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I get what that means," Ren added. "Before I came to Tokyo, I actually tried to deny my sexuality. It wasn't until I met people like Ryuji and Ann that I started to feel more comfortable. They get that I like guys and they accept me for who I am."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"That's amazing!" Kasumi blurted out. She paused to take a breather. "Sorry. I don't really have a lot of friends. There's this one guy I used to hang out with, but ever since-"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kasumi didn't have time to finish her sentence. Upon noticing a nearby young girl accidentally let go of her balloon, she leaped up and did a summersault to grab it, surprising Ren. After returning the balloon to the girl, she walked back over to the bench.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry, I didn't mean to run out on you like that," Kasumi said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That was impressive," Ren complimented. "Are you an athlete?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, yes," Kasumi confirmed. "I compete in gymnastics. It's not that difficult once you get the hang of it. Just a hop, skip, and a jump."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">An idea popped into Ren's mind. "Can you teach me that stuff?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kasumi was surprised to hear that. "Does that mean you're interested in gymnastics?" she guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A bit," Ren answered. "I do pull-ups each morning to improve my self-confidence, but it doesn't feel like I'm making actual progress."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you want advice from an actual athlete?" Kasumi concluded. "That makes me so happy! I'd be honored if you'd allow me! The only problem is...I have a favor to ask for myself as well, if you don't mind."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What is it?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Lately, I haven't been getting the results I want from my performances, and I'm worried that I'm overthinking things," Kasumi explained. "So it would be wonderful if you could give me some advice whenever you have the time. We can help each other out that way. After all, us gays gotta stick together."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren smiled in response. "I like the sound of that," he agreed. "Hope I'm helpful to you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you!" Kasumi happily replied. "Then we've cut a deal!" She took out her phone. "Why don't we exchange contact information? My smartphone's been acting up lately, but I'll try to contact you when I've got free time."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay," Ren said as he took out his phone. Then he and Kasumi proceeded to exchange contact information.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Attention Shujin Academy students," Makoto announced. "The cleanup event will be ending momentarily. Please do not discard your trash in the bins here. Instead, bring your waste to the predetermined location for disposal. After that, we will be officially releasing everyone for the day. Thank you all for your hard work."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, the cleanup seems to be finished," Kasumi said. "We're already in our gym clothes. Would you care for some basic training before heading home?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"After we finish our soups," Ren decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now?" Kasumi asked, sounding surprised. "But I think they got a bit cold..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's not good to waste food," Ren pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good point," Kasumi agreed. "But once we're done, we'll start with some core exercises. Those are the foundation for staying in shape."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0072"><h2>72. Meanwhile...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A little bonus chapter detailing the life of Goro Akechi.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Now before I continue on with the latest trip to Mementos, I think it's time to explore our other hero: Goro Akechi. I'll continue Ren's story in the next chapter. For now, I would like to try something different.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And don't worry, this tale is relevant to the plot. So without further ado, time to begin this sideplot...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">First of all, it's important to know that Akechi had his fair share of personal trauma. Born out of wedlock, he was at a young age when he found his mother's lifeless corpse. Since then, he was passed around from foster home to foster home, all of which shunned him due to his background. Eventually he was able to find his own place in life thanks to a man named Masayoshi Shido, who molded the brunette teen into a famed detective with an idol-like following. But that didn't come without slight consequences.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Two years had passed since Akechi met Shido and just recently, he started to struggle with maintaining that Detective Prince image. Every day was the same routine. Hide imperfections with makeup, make sure hair is at a reasonable length and style, dress in a civilized manner, always smile and act polite in case of hidden cameras... But in actuality, he was getting tired of having to fake it. He couldn't go anywhere without being followed by crazed fangirls. All he wanted to do was live his life, but it was far too late for that. Shido had an iron grip on his image. Any deviations from that would result in harsh scolding...or worse.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet despite this, there were some saving graces in Akechi's life: his bouldering workout routine, his food blog, hanging out at Jazz Jin, and the Yoshizawa sisters. Those were things he genuinely enjoyed, especially whenever he hung out with the two sisters. He met them after an interview for Good Morning Japan last year and since then, he became close friends with them. Whenever they had free time, they would join him in bouldering sessions, guest star on his food blog, or even enjoy some jazz music. And for a while, everything seemed to be going well for the three.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Then just a few months ago, tragedy struck for the Yoshizawa sisters. Without going into too much details, one of them died in a tragic car accident and since then, Akechi has been sticking by the surviving sister's side ever since, even attending the funeral for support. She was able to stop grieving after a certain point, but she still felt a bit off to him. Regardless, he continued to stay by her side, wanting to make sure she really was alright.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Why is this relevant? Because once the students of Shujin Academy left Inokashira Park after the cleanup, Kasumi headed over to Kosei High School to meet up with Akechi. She knew his birthday was coming up in a few days, so she wanted to give him his gift early in case there was a conflict in schedule for gymnastics training. It wasn't anything big. Just a little something to show how much she cares about him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When Kasumi arrived at Kosei, she spotted her brunette friend just leaving the school. "Akechi-san!" she called out, waving over to him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Upon seeing Kasumi, Akechi's tired expression quickly morphed into a calm smile. But it wasn't his usual photo-ready smile. He was genuinely happy to see his friend. So without any hesitation, he walked over to her.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good afternoon, Yoshizawa-san," Akechi greeted. "How was the school cleanup?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I had fun," Kasumi answered. "Well, I wouldn't describe cleaning up a park as fun. I did get to exchange contact information with Amamiya-senpai afterwards. You were right, he does stand out. I was able to spot his hair from a distance."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, that bird's nest makes it easy to find him," Akechi agreed with a small laugh. "Now then, shall we get going?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course!" Kasumi replied.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">A while later, the two headed over to Kichijoji for darts. Yet while Akechi was able to play flawlessly, Kasumi was...anything but.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oops..." Kasumi muttered after yet another dart missed the board.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is something the matter?" Akechi asked. "You seem awfully flustered."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, I'm fine," Kasumi disagreed. "I just...can't seem to hit the target."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that so...?" Akechi replied. It was subtle, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes. Every once in a while, Kasumi would have these unusual behavioral glitches that contradicted what she said. He noticed they showed up after her sister's death, sometime around her birthday. But why? What was causing her to act so...odd?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Another dart missed. "Hang on, I think I got it," Kasumi insisted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Not wanting to continue watching this slight trainwreck, Akechi walked over to Kasumi and proceeded to guide her hand. "Here, it's all in the wrist," he advised. "And don't throw too hand. It's just a gentle toss."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay..." Kasumi replied. With Akechi by her side, she listened his advice and gently tossed the dart. It wasn't a bull, but at least it actually hit the board. She let out an excited 'Yes!'.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"See, now was that so hard?" Akechi asked playfully.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not at all," Kasumi answered. "Thank you so much!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When it got closer to evening, the two headed over to Jazz Jin for some non-alcoholic celebratory drinks. This club was a special place for them. It wasn't a popular business, so Akechi was free to be himself without the pressure of being surrounded by cameras. So naturally it was the perfect spot to celebrate his early birthday with Kasumi.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I got you something," Kasumi said. She took out a small black box and placed it on the table.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, you didn't have to get me anything," Akechi reassured. "Your company is already a perfect gift."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I insist!" Kasumi shouted slightly. "The charm bracelet you got me for my birthday looked expensive. It wouldn't be fair to not give you something that has equal value. Besides, you might like what's inside."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Letting out a small sigh, Akechi picked up the black box and opened it. He gasped upon seeing what was inside. It was a wristwatch with a black leather strap. While it did look expensive, what was printed on the face was the biggest surprise: a dynamic photo of Phoenix Ranger Featherman Red Hawk.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"H-How did you...?" Akechi stammered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's custom-made," Kasumi explained. "It was originally a plain watch, but I asked my dad to add the Phoenix Ranger picture. Do you like it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...O-Of course, Yoshizawa-san," Akechi answered. "Thank you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're welcome," Kasumi replied. "I got the idea from that time you showed me Proof of Justice."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That surprised Akechi even more. "I beg your pardon...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The model gun on display," Kasumi clarified. "I remember we walked by a toy shop months ago and you told me you still have the older model your mom gave you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right," Akechi said with a small laugh. "How could I forget?" Yet deep down, he knew something was off. That wasn't quite how it happened. How could she forget...?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you okay, Akechi-san?" Kasumi suddenly asked. "Your smile looks more forced than usual."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm perfectly fine," Akechi insisted. He decided to change topics. "What exactly is Amamiya like? What does he do aside from working at LeBlanc?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's hard to say," Kasumi answered. "He doesn't like to waste food and he's interested in gymnastics training. That's all I got from our conversation."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that so...?" Akechi asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He does kind of remind me of you," Kasumi added. "I bet you would be exactly alike if you weren't so uptight all the time."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Akechi chuckled at the comment. "I'm not always uptight," he corrected, understanding that was a joke. "Especially whenever we come here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I know, but once we leave, you're back to being your 'Detective Prince' self," Kasumi pointed out. She giggled a bit. "As if I haven't heard your lamest flirt attempts before."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That statement surprised Akechi. "You mean, like when we first met?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, you said 'come here often' while flashing a cheesy grin," Kasumi recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, that's precisely it," Akechi confirmed. "With any other girl, she would have swooned. But that day was the first time anyone saw through me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And that's how we became friends!" Kasumi cheered, holding up her glass.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Indeed, Yoshizawa-san," Akechi agreed. He clinked glasses with Kasumi. "To friendship."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yep!" Kasumi happily replied. "To friendship!"</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0073"><h2>73. A Vicious Predator</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Mika isn't the only target who needs a change of heart. Turns out the others picked up a few other hits as well.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">So what was Ren doing while that was going on? Well first of all, after parting ways with Kasumi, he stopped by LeBlanc to pick up his bathhouse supplies. Morgana complained that he looked dusty after the cleanup, so he decided to freshen up before heading over to Mementos. He also used the shampoo sample he got from that curly-haired girl, although he decided to keep the empty packet as a reminder to stop by Beauty's Delight. What kind of fundraiser was his mom running?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But that wasn't the concern for today. Once he met up with everyone at the karaoke bar, they proceeded to go over intel for previous targets. He was hoping they had multiple hits, but right now he had to explain Ann's current predicament to the others.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right team, our first target is Ryoko Aino," Morgana said. "From the intel I gathered, she's been kidnapping cats and overindulging them to the point when they're stressed."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"When were you able to do that?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I did some snooping while you guys were cleaning the park," Morgana explained. "So how about it? Up for saving all the cats in Tokyo?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hold on a sec!" Ryuji interrupted. "I've got a hit too! A scumbag named Akimitsu Tsuda. He threatened Iwai's life and-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sorry, who is this Iwai person?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh right, he's the owner of a shop called Untouchable," Ryuji explained. "I've been helpin' him out in exchange for stronger model guns. Things got a bit dicey the last time I saw him, so I thought a change of heart could fix that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not why I asked you to meet me here," Ren spoke up. "Our main target is an aspiring model named Mika Rokuda. According to Mishima, she has been scaring her competition."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She's been getting worse in every photo shoot," Ann chimed in. "The last time I saw her, she claimed the modeling world was either eat or get eaten. We have to go after her."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We've got three hits," Morgana concluded. "Which one should we go after?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You said you only go after people with unanimous decisions," Yusuke recalled. "Well if I have to choose, I would go after the model. I will not allow an ugly stain to tarnish a world of beauty."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took out his phone. "What about you two?" he asked. "You're part of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. You should have a say on our targets as well."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It probably won't matter, but I gotta side with Morgana. That crazy girl must pay for trying to catnap him!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What about that mom with the sad child, hee-ho? She seems concerned about him.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not one of the options!" Ren corrected.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Okay, okay! Geez! I'll take the model, hee-ho! I could hear her yelling from your pants!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Ren said. He looked back at the others. "Pixie voted for Aino and Jack Frost voted for Mika."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So our decision is not unanimous," Yusuke realized. "What have you done if you were indecisive on targets?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Dunno," Ryuji answered with a shrug. "We haven't gone to Mementos in a long time."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Why not tackle all three at once?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because it will take Morgana too long to find one," Ren explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Actually, Pixie's right," Morgana agreed. "There's nothing stopping us from changing multiple hearts in Mementos. And now that we have more people on the team, it can be easier than when we had to fight Nakanohara."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we're facing Tsuda first?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll start with the target with more votes," Ren decided. "First Mika, then Aino, and finally Tsuda."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fine by me," Yusuke agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ann said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"As long as I get to stop Tsuda, that's fine with me," Ryuji said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then it's settled," Morgana said. "Time to go to Mementos!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">As soon as the team arrived at Mementos' entrance, Pixie and Jack Frost popped out of Ren's phone. As for Yusuke, she was entranced by what she saw, given that it was her first time in this area of the Metaverse.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So this is Mementos..." the bluenette said in awe. "Fascinating. I can sense all of humanity's bitter hatred in here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You can admire Mementos later," Ren said. "We need to focus on our mission."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Without wasting any time, Morgana went into car form and drove deep into Mementos. Their first target was relatively easy to track down. After entering a distorted red vortex, they found Mika surrounded by a black aura.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's the model who's been harassing ya," Ryuji told Ann. His grip on his rod tightened. "Time to take her down!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When the team approached Mika, she instantly growled at them. "You!" she snarled. "Don't even think about trying to stop me! That top model position is all mine!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren aimed his gun at the model. "Mika Rokuda, we are the Phantom Thieves of Hearts," he said. "We order you to return to your real self and make amends for your past crimes. If you leave now, we can settle this without any bloodshed."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What, like eliminating the competition is a crime?!" Mika angrily asked as a red aura swirled around her. "I don't care who you are! I'll devour everyone who tries to interfere!" Almost instantly, she transformed into a sentient pile of green goo with a large mouth and massive teeth. <b>"The world of modeling is my domain! I'll eat my way through the competition until there is no other model left in sight!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's what you mean by eat or get eaten!" Ann realized. She took off her mask. "Let's do this, Carmen!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Carmen materialized in a flash of blue flames and shot a fireball at Mika. However, she was completely unaffected by the blast and even retaliated with a massive ice attack, resulting in a chilly disadvantage.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Panther's frozen!" Morgana warned. "She can't move!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Eek!" Jack Frost panicked. He wobbled over to Ann. "I'll try to absorb the ice, hee-ho!" He placed his hands on the block of ice and his hands glowed bright blue.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke took out her katana, but the quick slash proved to be unaffected. "Then how do you suppose we take care of this hideous monstrosity?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Mika just so happened to hear that comment. <b>"I AM NOT HIDEOUS!"</b> she roared before blinding everyone with a flash of light.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That gave Pixie an idea. "Oh, really?" she asked, flying over to the big-jawed blob. "I dunno what you call beauty, but you're anything but! How could anyone find a beast like that attractive?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Mika let out another roar as she blew out another gust of ice. "P.U.! Is that stench coming from you?" Pixie taunted, sparks appearing between her wings. "You really need a reality check if you want guys swarming you!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That did it for Mika. Just as she was about to lunge at Pixie in a blind fury, she shot out a bolt of electricity. Instead of attacking again, she was surrounded in an electrical aura, unable to move.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Did you just paralyze her?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're welcome," Pixie confidently bragged. "Hopefully you should be able to attack her now."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The rest of the battle proceeded nicely. Once Morgana was able to conclude Mika wasn't affected by bullets nor dark energy, Ren stepped back as he let Ryuji, Morgana, and Yusuke defeat her with their respected Personas. The combined attacks resulted in the corrupted blob returning back to her previous form, while Jack Frost was able to free Ann from her icy prison. But unlike Nakanohara, she wasn't quite cooperative with defeat.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't back down now!" Mika snarled. "I must claim the modeling world myself! I'm the only one qualified to appear in fashion magazines! I-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The Shadow self didn't have time to continue ranting. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, Ann grabbed Ren's knife and slashed her right ankle. Mika let out a pained scream from the deep cut, collapsing in agony.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You..." Mika growled. "You're Ann Takamaki! The next time I see you, I'll completely devour your modeling career!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann responded by pressing the knife against Mika's throat. "Go back to your real self, or I'll make sure you never model again," she threatened.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ugh! Fine..." Mika groaned. "But this isn't over between us!" With that, she vanished, leaving behind an empty perfume bottle. Ann picked up the bottle, satisfied with the outcome.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You think she'll stop threatening the other models?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hope so," Ann replied, looking at the bottle. What if this one was unable to have a real change of heart?</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">After spotting another distorted red vortex, the team found their next target. "There! That's Ryoko Aino," Morgana informed, pointing at the girl surrounded by a black aura. "Let's change her heart for the sake of all the cats in Yongen!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Upon approaching Aino, Ryuji took out his shotgun and aimed it at her. "Ryoko Aino, we are the Phantom Thieves of Hearts," Ren said, taking out his gun as well. "We order you to return to your real self and make amends for your past crimes. If you leave now, we can settle this without any bloodshed."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, you're gonna let all the cats in Yongen go!" Ryuji agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No!" Aino cried out. "Without me, Snowball and all the other kitties won't be happy and safe!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana whipped out his cutlass. "Hey, what are you talking about?" he demanded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Aino gasped. "Snowball!" She proceeded to pick up Morgana and hug him tightly. "I'll won't let anyone hurt you!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana squirmed out of the girl's tight grasp. "How dare you attack me like that!" he hissed. "Prepare to see the error of your ways!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With a flash of red, Aino transformed into a cat woman with a white fur coat. <b>"I'll be the one to protect the snowballs!"</b> she vowed. <b>"I won't let anyone stand in my way!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Just as Morgana was about to attack Aino, Ren held him back. "Wait," he advised, a thought having just popped into his head. "Something doesn't feel right."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You think something is amiss?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whaddya mean? She's still a target!" Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Stand down for now," Ren advised. With his gun still aimed at Aino, he slowly walked over to her. "Calm down. I just want to ask a few questions."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"Please! Don't shoot!"</b> Aino begged. <b>"If I'm gone, there won't be anyone protecting the snowballs!"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Mona, what did you learn about her?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While surprised with this change of events, Morgana still complied. "She's calling the cats she catnapped 'snowballs', the catnapped cats are stressed out, and lastly, the pet owners are giving up."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><strong>"All I want is to protect the snowballs!"</strong> Aino sobbed. <b>"I have to protect them! I JUST HAVE TO PROTECT THEM!"</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please calm down," Ren advised.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><b>"I am calm..."</b> Aino sighed. <b>"Of course I'm calm... I need to stay calm for the snowballs."</b></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I noticed you keep using that word," Ren said. "What do you mean by 'snowballs'? Is that what you call the cats you kidnap?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"I didn't catnap them,"</b> Aino claimed. <b>"I'm protecting them. As long as I protect them, the snowballs will be happy."</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">"But are they really happy?" Ren asked. "They're stressed out."</p><p class="p1"><b>"But if I don't keep an eye out for the snowballs, they'll die too!"</b> Aino insisted.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That did it for Ren. "Snowball is gone," he stated. "You have to accept it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Aino gasped. <b>"You're...right,"</b> she admitted. Letting out a sad sigh, she returned back to her previous form. "I found this white kitten and took it home, but it wandered outside while I wasn't looking. And then...I saw it get run over by a car. The car just kept driving, even after it ran over the kitten. Since then, I see that kitten in every cat. I always think 'I have to protect it this time'!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that guilt made you resort to kidnapping cats," Ren concluded. "You ended up suffering so much."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No..." Aino disagreed. "The people who really suffered are the owners and their cats."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But you learned from your mistake," Ren pointed out. "Just don't do it again and you'll recover from your guilt."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes," Aino agreed. "Thank you, Mr. Phantom Thief." She vanished, leaving a cat brooch behind.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well now that that's taken care of, time to stop Tsuda!" Ryuji decided as Ren picked up the brooch.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait, Skull," Morgana warned. "I can't seem to sense him. He's probably in a deeper layer, one we can't unlock yet."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You for real?!" Ryuji groaned. "But I need to help Iwai!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If he's in a deeper layer in Mementos, we should be able to go in once Madarame confesses his crimes," Ren pointed out. "For now, all we can do is wait."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fine..." Ryuji grumbled. "But it better not take long! I gotta change his heart before things get worse!"</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0074"><h2>74. Help From a Maid</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>When your teacher works for a housekeeping service, sometimes it might be helpful to gain important intel for school.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next morning, while waiting for the train, Ren ran into Ryuji. "Wassup," the blonde teen greeted. "By the way, the exhibit's 'til the end of this week, huh... We did what we could, and now we wait for the results."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We could do some training after school," Ren suggested.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"True, it's important to take a breather after some hard work," Ryuji agreed. "But I feel like my body'll be weaker if I play around too much."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">When classes were done for the day, Ren met up with Ryuji in the courtyard to resume their training. Yet even after the usual stretches, a certain ex-runner wasn't quite satisfied.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ugh, dammit!" Ryuji groaned. "I wanna move better, but I just can't! I was trainin' for nationals back in the day...but now I totally suck balls."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the hell do you think you're doing?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came from one of two boys that just showed up, who just so happened to be people Ryuji recognized. "Nakaoka... Takeishi..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Running, huh?" one of the boys asked. "I saw you from the window."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What, you gonna try to come crawling back to the track team," a second boy, who was wearing a blue sweatband, assumed.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh?" Ryuji muttered. "Hell no!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure..." the first boy responded. "Speaking of which, this was your secret training spot, wasn't it? Well, it's our spot now. You know, <em>us</em>. The former track team."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We don't even have a locker room anymore, thanks to someone I know," the sweatband boy added.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Noticing Ryuji's clenched fist, Ren decided to interfere. "Let's not fight," he advised. "I don't want anyone getting hurt."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We ain't fightin'," Ryuji explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, this isn't anything like a fight," the first boy agreed. "Not even close." He gave Ren a once-over. "Hold on, aren't you that weird transfer student? You're really gonna hang around with this loser."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ryuji isn't a loser," Ren defended. "Unlike everyone else at this school, he doesn't care about the rumors and treats me like a normal human being."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You better watch out," the sweatband boy warned. "He'll hit you the second he gets pissed off. I heard his dad was the same way. Like father like son, right? Now that's some scary shit."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That don't got anything to do with this!" Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Calm down, Ryuji," Ren advised. "You can't let them get to you."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...You're right," Ryuji agreed. "Look, back then I-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't need to hear your excuses," the first boy interrupted, walking over to Ryuji. "Everyone was going through the same bullshit with Kamoshida. The beatings, the impossible exercises... But we put up with all of it for the track team." He shoved the blonde teen. "But no. You had to go and **** all of that up! Man, I was stupid for ever thinking you were my teammate. That's all I have to say to you. I'm outta here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When the track team let, Ryuji let out a defeated sigh. "I nearly smacked him when he was talkin' about my dad," he said. "I haven't changed at all..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But you did," Ren disagreed. "If it wasn't for your quick thinking, we wouldn't have been able to change Kamoshida's heart."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji chuckled in response. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he replied, remembering how he was the one who snatched Kamoshida's crown. "But y'know...I wouldn't have changed if we didn't become friends. I mean, you actually helped me calm down a little. I'm glad you were here with me." He raised his hand. "Thanks, man!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren smiled and gave Ryuji a high-five. "I should be the one thanking you," the dark-haired teen pointed out. "If you didn't push your way into my life, I would still be uncomfortable about...you know."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, I know," Ryuji agreed.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">That evening, once Sojiro went home, Ren decided to put his plan into action. Ever since that scuffle with the track team, he was kind of curious with what happened to Ryuji. Luckily he just so happened to have a certain phone number so he could contact his teacher. So with some slight hesitation, he deposited a 100 yen coin into LeBlanc's yellow phone and dialed the phone number.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You just can't let it rest, can you?" Morgana teased.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Quiet!" Ren hushed. A few seconds later, a voice responded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you for calling! This is Victoria's Housekeeping!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh, hi..." Ren said, his voice cracking slightly. "I have a request."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, Ms. Kawakami finally arrived. Ren wasted no time to invite her to the attic, hoping to get some privacy. He also made some tea for them to drink while they talked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Kid, you got a lot of nerve," Ms. Kawakami said. "Though I do appreciate what you did for me with Ms. Chouno. So, what's all this about? Admittedly, the room looks like it could use a good cleaning."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah, good point," Ren admitted. "But it's not about that. I want you to tell me about what happened to Ryuji and the track team.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"From what I heard, Kamoshida pushed them too far until Ryuji attacked him. That was when Kamoshida retaliated by breaking his leg as a supposed act of 'self-defense'. If I had to guess, I'd say Kamoshida provoked Ryuji to make sure he would have an excuse to cripple him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that so?" Ms. Kawakami asked. "I wouldn't really know. However, I can tell you Sakamoto-kun comes from an abusive household. His father was prone to violence until he abandoned him. Now Sakamoto-kun just lives with his mom. That was his main reason for joining the track team. He didn't want to burden her."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was able to piece it all together. "Then Kamoshida must have provoked Ryuji by saying something about his family," he guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But I must say, it must be hard with only one parent," Ms. Kawakami continued. "And I see how anyone would feel furious hearing someone openly mock something so personal. It's all just generalizing, of course."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ryuji did take a swing at Kamoshida," Ren recapped. "But not just because he treated him terribly. Given how he must feel about his dad, I'd say it was because Kamoshida was specifically mocking his mom. He endured all of that hazing for his teammates, but...he just couldn't bear with it anymore."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I really couldn't say," Ms. Kawakami replied. "Except that if you're right, it means one thing. That Sakamoto-kun loses his temper too quick and he gets violent far too easily. But he holds back for the sake of everybody else. I admit, I never would have thought of that given his attitude problems and his anger. I think I understand better now."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So do I," Ren agreed. "Thank you for the information."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Be that as it may, this little visit today is certainly not free," Ms. Kawakami informed. She finished up her tea. "I better take my leave now."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait," Ren said. "There's one last thing I need to know. I heard the track team's reforming."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then it seems you heard right," Ms. Kawakami confirmed. "Yes, Mr. Yamauchi is the new advisor."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I never heard his name before," Ren admitted. "What's he like?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's hard to say," Ms. Kawakami answered. "But I can tell you he was the closest to Kamoshida."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0075"><h2>75. Shiho's Return</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With rehab completed, a former volleyball player says her final farewells.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, during the train ride to school, Ren overheard the latest new reports.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Employee posts nude chef selfie! Wild-Duck Burger claims to have fired the employee in question. Those close to the man voiced their surprise, vouching for his seriousness at work."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is Shibuya unsafe? Crime rising! The police are issuing warnings for people to be wary of scams."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hotspots of Tokyo! Tickets for the Madarame exhibit are available until June 5th!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The Madarame exhibit goes on until June 5th..." Morgana commented. "That's the end of this week. We'll show him what a change of heart means!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Once classes were done, Ren received a surprise text from Ann.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Do you have some time after school?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm busy until tonight. Why do you ask?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Meet me in the courtyard. I have a surprise for you.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While a bit confused, Ren complied and headed over to the courtyard. Turns out the surprise came in a familiar face.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Suzui-san!" Ren exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's been a while, Amamiya-kun," Shiho replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How are you feeling?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good," Shiho answered. "Thank you. I'm doing better now."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shiho worked really hard in physical therapy," Ann explained. "Seeing her improve, I couldn't help but cry."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But Ann, I couldn't have done it without your support," Shiho pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's a relief," Ren commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But it still doesn't change what happened," Ann said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I remember," Ren recalled. He looked over at Shiho. "You're leaving Tokyo soon, correct?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shiho nodded in response. "I'm moving to Sendai tomorrow," she revealed. "My mom wanted to give me time to say goodbye to everyone. But there's something I need to do first. I need to go up to the roof."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why?" Ren asked, sounding a bit concerned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's something I have to do," Shiho insisted.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">And so, Ren and Ann had to help Shiho climb up the steps to the rooftop. By the time they got there, Shiho was already out of breath.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ann, Amamiya-kun... I'm pretty heavy, huh?" Shiho joked. "Thanks for the help."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Isn't Ren super reliable?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just like you were telling me," Shiho agreed. Then, to Ann and Ren's shock, she walked over to the edge of the roof. "We're so high up."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why did you want to come here?" Ren wondered, somewhat fearful of a repeat suicide attempt.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think...to settle things," Shiho answered. "To tell you the truth, I wanted to reenact that moment. Wearing these clothes, standing here again... I wanted to know what it would feel like."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about back then?" Ann asked. "What were you thinking?"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I... I didn't want to die," Shiho recalled. "I just needed to escape. It was like another person inside of me was screaming, telling me to come up here. It almost felt like that person was trying to kill me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And you felt like you had no other choice but believe that voice?" Ren guessed. It almost sounded like something that happened to him ever since THAT night...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes," Shiho confirmed, turning to face the two. "But I know that persona was part of me too. My weakness. So, I wanted to see if she would show up again."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is she gone for good?" Ann checked.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p2">"Yeah," Shiho answered. "She doesn't exist anymore. Now all I hear is a new voice, encouraging me to piece my heart together and reborn into a stronger person. I guess you can say I awakened to newfound confidence."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're so strong, Shiho," Ann complimented. "The only reason you can stand here now is because of how hard you worked for your rehab."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maybe...but that was all thanks to you, Ann," Shiho replied. She walked over to the blonde teen and held her hands.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p2">"Because I saw how hard you were trying, too. You were so positive. Your eyes sparkled with motivation as you told about how much you wanted to strengthen your heart. With you putting that much effort in, I couldn't just let my life go to waste in a hospital bed. That's why I wanted to stand again. It was because of you. Being able to change others and get strong from the experience... That's what I want to do as well. So I promise, the next time we see each other, I want to return the favor and help you out."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shiho..." Ann gasped. Tears started brimming from her eyes.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're right. I want to keep getting strong for you.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So I'll never give up no matter what!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">A while later, Ann said her final farewell to Shiho as she left school with her mom. Yet when she was gone, Ann was still feeling overwhelmed with the news.</p><p class="p2">"I need to understand how to strengthen a person's heart," the blonde teen vowed. "I made a promise with Shiho, so there's no turning back now. I'm gonna learn how to properly meditate, and even research breathing techniques. I want to pick up on other mental training techniques from different countries. Because, well...the only way I can help Shiho is have a better understanding on true mental strength."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hang in there, Ann," Ren encouraged.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yep!" Ann agreed. "If I can do that, I'll make sure other people won't go through the same trauma Shiho went through." Suddenly, she received a text from her phone. She took it out and checked what the text said. "Oh, I have to get to work."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Can I come?" Ren asked. "I want to see if the change of heart worked."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ann replied. "Hopefully Mika finally learned her lesson."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">When the two arrived at the model shoot, something seemed a bit off. The agency employee was talking to Mika, who looked a bit different. She was wearing sneakers...with the socks rolled up. What was going on?</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And don't pull a stunt like that again, okay?" the employee concluded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course not..." Mika agreed, looking genuinely sad.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's going on here?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Do you remember a while back when a bunch of models weren't showing up to our shoots?" the employee recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh yeah, I remember," Ann answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, Rokuda just told me she had been posing as our agency and telling them the shoot locations changed, along with outright intimidating them with death threats," the employee revealed. "We had heard rumors that she might have been doing it, but we thought people were just jealous of her. I asked her about it today and she confessed that it was all her doing."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What I did was really terrible," Mika said. "I caused so much trouble for everyone... But I'm gonna start working even harder from now on, I promise."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The employee let out a sigh. "Anyway, let's get started. You ready to go, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure..." Mika answered, but she didn't seem all that happy.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the employee left to get the shoot set up, Ann walked over to Mika. "You really did those things?" the blonde teen asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All I could think about was dominating the modeling world," Mika revealed. "This industry's overflowing with models. Without an in, your career will never get off the ground. I figured if I had to make sure I stayed, I had to eliminate all of my competition. But this morning, I woke and realized I was hurting so many people. That's why...I had to apologize!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann was taken back by the sudden outburst. "You're actually crying..." she noticed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm so sorry for trying to make you look like a villain," Mika apologized. "I figured that if I tricked the photographers into thinking you were a bitch, they wouldn't ask you to come model. But now I see I was the real bitch this whole time. So from now on, I promise to be a better rival to you. I won't pull any more dirty tricks. I'll beat you with beauty...fair and square."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Sounds good to me!" Ann agreed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0076"><h2>76. Track Team Scandal</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Now that Ann no longer has a vicious model breathing down her neck, it’s time to help out a former track runner.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The photo shoot ended up becoming a success. While the cameraman asked Ann and Mika to do various poses, a crowd of excited fans swarmed the area.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, isn't that Mika? Wow, she's even prettier in person."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's Mika! Oh, and Ann too! They're both so cute!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What must they eat to have bodies like that? The world is so unfair..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They might have some natural beauty, but they've gotta be exercising to have those bods!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"Wow, what a pose!" the cameraman complimented. "Give me a few more, just like that!"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Something's changed in Ann-chan, huh?" the magazine employee noticed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, she's really amped up the sexiness," his assistant agreed. "Maybe she's gained some confidence?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, the photo shoot was completed. "Man, this is so much fun!" Ann gushed, speaking to Ren. "Today has been really great so far! So...how was I?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You really gave it your all," Ren complimented. "I didn't know you had it in you."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, yeah!" Ann replied. "Even if it's only temporary, I had to work extra hard with you watching, Ren!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"What do you mean by 'temporary'?" Ren asked.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's like what I told Mika," Ann explained. "Modeling is more of a hobby to me. I want to focus on how to be more understanding towards people. Then someday, I can help out other people like Shiho. I'm gonna be a ray of light for anyone who needs help."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's a great plan," Ren complimented. "You can do it, Ann."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, you're right," Ann agreed. "Thanks!"</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">A while later, Ren and Ann headed over to the diner. Yet as they ate, Ren noticed Ann seemed to be thinking about something. "You feeling alright?" he asked.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Back when I met Shiho, when she saved me, I realized that personal relationships are something to be treasured," Ann said. "That's why I'm not going to run away anymore. So as a starting point, I want to study psychology. It's my turn to help those who are suffering, and I'll do that by becoming a psychiatrist. But...I'm still kinda worried. Do you think you could help me, Ren?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course," Ren answered, gently touching Ann's hand. "You have something you're passionate about. I want to help you out in any way I can."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann nodded in agreement. "You can lean on me too, if you need it," she offered. "I feel like we finally see each other eye-to-eye, Ren. I'm so glad I met you."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Me too," Ren agreed. He could feel a strong bond between him and Ann.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Ann gasped slightly as her eyes widened. A flash of blue appeared in her eyes. "I can sense a new power growing within me!" she exclaimed. "This must be what it's like to strengthen my own heart!" She smiled softly. "That doesn't mean my mental training is done, though. I want to keep strengthening my heart."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So your Persona got stronger?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think so," Ann answered. "Anyway, let's eat before our food gets cold! Time to dig in!"</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That evening, before heading over to meet up with Ryuji, Ren made a quick stop at LeBlanc to change out of his uniform. But before he did so, he received a text from Yusuke.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I assume you are all curious, so I'm sending you an update, just in case?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">With what, hee-ho? Madarame?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Precisely. He is still bedridden and hasn't spoken a single word. My apologies for not being able to to provide anything more solid.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">C'mon, it's not your fault. Don't worry about it.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Isn't today the first day of June? I heard some news reporter saying the exhibit is ending this week.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That's right, Pixie.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">At least it doesn't seem like Madarame had a mental shutdown. But there's no point if he don't have a change of heart and call off that legal action bullshit.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It doesn't help that I'm still on probation. What if the cops trace my name back and arrest me?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Was this how it was when you defeated Kamoshida?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Pretty much. He didn't confess until the day of his deadline.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, Kamoshida was out of school for a while.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Either way, there has been no palpable progress. It appears only the target themselves can tell whether or not their heart has changed.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It's a goddamn pain in the ass, but yeah. We just gotta hear from Madarame himself what the deal is.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, there's nothing we can really do. Let's just try waiting a little longer.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">But that's boring, hee-ho! Hmph! I want progress now!</span></p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">A while later, after changing out of his uniform, Ren informed Ryuji of their special plan. With Kawakami's intel shared, the two were able to track down Yamauchi at a restaurant in Tsukishima. But he wasn't alone. Another man was accompanying him.</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey I'm glad you looked into it and everything," Ryuji said. "But...why?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why wouldn't I?" Ren asked in response. "Plus having you moping around really bugged me. It was weird."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji looked a bit offended by that comment...then a thought crossed his mind. "One problem... Yamauchi knows my face, so there's no way I can go in there."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I will," Ren offered. He readied the recording featuring on his phone. "Once I find out his ulterior motive, then we can plan out our next movie. It's important."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, with Ryuji waiting outside the restaurant, Ren headed inside and found the two gentlemen. Sitting next to a nearby seat, he listened in on their conversation and secretly recorded it.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wow, you can really hold your liquor, Yamauchi," the other man complimented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I've had some experience," Yamauchi explained. "Back in my college days, we'd rent a yacht for the weekend and have massive parties. I must say though...the sake's been tasting particularly sweet lately."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"No surprise there," the other man agreed. "Things have been much calmer without Kamoshida. Those were some real dark times for Shujin though, huh? But now that he's gone, you finally get the chance you deserve, Yamauchi!"</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't flatter me," Yamauchi chuckled in response. "He had his strengths, sure...but because of him, our volleyball team will be forever scarred. The only real option now is to abandon it completely. There has to be a way to bring Shujin back into the limelight though. That's where I come in."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean with the track team, right?" the other man guessed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The students who went through so much hardship under Kamoshida rise again with a caring new advisor," Yamauchi continued. "It'll be the rebirth of a team that found themselves in the depths of despair. The public will love it. Despite my lack of track and field knowledge, I'll form a tight bond with the students. I'll be the protagonist of my very own tearjerker. And of course all the praise for reviving them will go to me, their incredible, loving advisor. I'll have to hire a great coach if I want to pull this off though."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you're gonna pretend to coach them while someone else does all the legwork?" the other man concluded. "Amazing, Yamauchi!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Such stunning achievements will look great when it's time to hand out bonuses," Yamauchi bragged. "But I'm not gonna stop there either. I'll publish book, give motivational speeches..."</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about all the troublemakers on the team?" the other man asked. "I've heard that Nakaoka kid is especially bad."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, you mean the one who asked them to bring the pre-Kamoshida coach back?" Yamauchi asked in response. "Don't worry, I've already taken care of him. There's this other boy on the team. Takeishi. Doesn't really excel in much of anything. Well, I said I would make him the new captain if he could get rid of that troublemaker Nakaoka. I might've mentioned something about how Nakaoka was working with Kamoshida too...subtly, of course."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"And what ended up happening?" the other man wondered.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Apparently, Takeishi fell for it and he plans to kick Nakaoka off the team," Yamauchi revealed. "The plan is working perfectly! And the best part is, not only are Takeishi's parents loaded, but his mother's the president of the PTA."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">"I see... He'd make a great pawn!" the other man complimented.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Perhaps, but a nothing like him could never captain a successful championship-winning team," Yamauchi replied. "He may have to have an unfortunate accident at practice one day. But until then, he can show the others the value of obedience."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The other man chuckled. "You're incredible!"</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">Once Ren heard enough, he left the restaurant and showed the recorded conversation to Ryuji. Naturally, the blonde teen wasn't happy with what he heard.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That effin' asshole!" Ryuji shouted. "If we don't do something quick, Yamauchi's gonna get rid of Takeishi too. God dammit!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you thinking about changing his heart?" Ren guessed. He was all set to send the recording to Mishima just like what happened with Mika-</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not yet," Ryuji answered. "This ain't our problem. It's the track team's. So...they're just gonna have to decide on their own."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You sure?" Ren checked. "Because I'm all set to have Mishima post the recording on the Phan-Site."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, man," Ryuji insisted. "They've got every right to know the truth. They shouldn't halfta rely on someone like Yamauchi bossing 'em around. I can't ignore the stuff they're goin' through now, not when some shitty adult is controlling the team. Plus it's the least I could do for causing them to disband in the first place."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's kind of cool for you to do that, Ryuji," Ren complimented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh? For real?" Ryuji asked. "Thanks, man!"</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0077"><h2>77. The New Track Team</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren helps Ryuji find closure with his past.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, while waiting for the train, Ren had an unusual encounter with Makoto. "I want to ask you something," she said. "Why did Mr. Kamoshida change all of a sudden?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're asking the wrong person," Ren responded. "I'm not interested in student gossip."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that so?" Makoto asked in response. "You've dodged any immediate threats. Aren't you interested at all in what facilitated the change?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm just trying to keep a low profile and focus on my studies," Ren answered, changing topics. "So I would appreciate it if you back off and let me live my life."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, that's fine," Makoto dismissed as she checked her phone. "Thanks for your valuable opinion. I'll take it into account."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The school day was the same as always. Yet once classes were done, Ren immediately headed over to the courtyard with Ryuji. Sure enough, it looked like Yamauchi's seeds were already planted and the track team had fallen into disarray, with Nakaoka (or at least, who was apparently Nakaoka) being surrounded by the others.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nakaoka, so is it true?" the sweatband boy, who must have been Takeishi, asked. "You told secrets to Kamoshida just to avoid that bastard's hazing?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren looked over at Ryuji. "Are you sure?" he checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah," Ryuji answered. He and Ren walked over to the track team.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sakamoto?! What are you doing here?!" Takeishi demanded. "This is none of your business!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It kinda is," Ryuji disagreed. "There's something you guys need to hear. Yamauchi's playing you. He's trying to pit you guys against each other."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You got proof?" Takeishi wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Actually, yeah," Ryuji answered. "Show 'em, Ren!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took out his phone and played the recording of Yamauchi. As the recording played, the track team gradually looked shocked with every exposed detail. By the time the recording was done, they were absolutely disgusted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This... This has to be a joke!" Takeishi furiously denied. "Yamauchi said he'd make me the team captain!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is this real?" Nakaoka asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's Yamauchi's voice, ain't it?" Ryuji asked in repose. "And on top of that, shit's gone down just like he said."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not like that matters now," Takeishi dismissed. "Doesn't change the fact that Nakaoka's a traitor! And you're one of the victims too! Piss off! This rat... This traitor is the guy who went snitching to Kamoshida all about your mother!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But instead of shouting back, Ryuji had a different response. "So what?" he asked. "Look man, it doesn't matter anymore. All that crap with Kamoshida's settled up and done."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Aren't you angry?" Takeishi asked, somewhat surprised.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's about time you guys let it go, too," Ryuji encouraged. "Form the new team, but it should be just you guys. Don't trust that asshole Yamauchi, okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sakamoto, I..." Nakaoka started to say.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Forget it!" Takeishi shouted. "I'll never be an ace runner, not as long as the traitor's still around! It would never stop eating away at me! And besides, Yamauchi's right. I don't have talent. I'm not like you guys. I ran so damn hard, but you two were always so far ahead. How's a guy like me supposed to succeed? How am I supposed to be proud of myself?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Proud...?” Ryuji echoed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My dad always talks about how proud he is of his son," Takeishi explained. "He told everyone I'd get a track scholarship like he did, that I'd follow in his footsteps as a second-generation Taisei grad. That's why I listened to Yamauchi. He said if I was the captain, he's write me a great letter of rec."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you trusted what he was sayin' about Nakaoka 'cause of stupid crap like that?" Ryuji concluded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shut up!" Takeishi shouted in response. "What does a thug like you know?! You couldn't know how I feel! Nobody does!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Like hell I don't know!" Ryuji agreed. "How long were we runnin' together, huh?! I went through all sorts of shit with you! Besides, who're you livin' your life for? Your parents? Teachers? Society? Maybe you should stop tryin' to live for them and just try livin' for yourself. You think you gotta betray people to be proud?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"W-Well, I..." Takeishi stammered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If that's seriously what you think, you're wrong!" Ryuji continued. "Nakaoka, you knew something was up with Yamauchi too, didn't you? I mean, the bastard's never been interested in track before. But you kept quiet. You knew he was walkin' all over you, and you just let him do it."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Yeah," Nakaoka reluctantly agreed. "But I had no other choice. While Kamoshida was still around, he forced me to tell him everything about you guys. As long as I cooperated, my boyfriend would be spared. But even then, things only got worse. Eventually he got so shaken by volleyball training that he was forced to transfer schools."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realization dawned on Ren. "It was you," he realized, thinking back to when Kamoshida confessed to his crimes. "You're the one who wanted Kamoshida to kill himself!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, that was me," Nakaoka confirmed. "I was scared of losing the place I belong. Both with Kyou...and with the track team. That's why I did what he told me. I'm glad Kamoshida's gone, but the damage he did to the team didn't go away. Without Yamauchi, we still wouldn't have a team."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You miss runnin' that bad?" Ryuji asked. "Y'know...it ain't so scary not havin' a place you belong. You can kinda be free that way. If anything, I'm more scared of bein' a crappy person. I mean, I used to be like you guys. Afraid, lyin' to myself... That is, before I met Ren. I don't wanna insult you guys or nothin', but I know you're prolly real pissed about all this.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So...If you wanna hit me or something, go ahead. I'm ready."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In that case..." Takesishi said. He started cracking his knuckles.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you insist," Nakaoka sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing things might take a turn for the worse, Ren was all set to step in, but Ryuji raised his hand in protest. "Don't," the blonde teen said. "I don't want you gettin' involved. Besides...I kinda deserve it for gettin' the club disbanded."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After the encounter with the track team, Ren and Ryuji headed over to a ramen shop in Ogikubo. Like Ren was expecting, Ryuji wasn't happy with all the hitting his ex-teammates dished out on him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ouchie..." Ryuji groaned, still bruised. "I didn't actually think they'd hit that hard. At least it seemed like they were happy. I'm glad they can start the club together."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what will happen to them now?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Eh, Takeishi's prolly gonna tell his mom," Ryuji guessed. "You know she's the PTA prez, right? I bet he'll tell her everything."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then that means the track team can form without Yamauchi," Ren hoped. "I'm looking forward to seeing the team's proper comeback."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hell yeah!" Ryuji cheered. He paused. "To tell the truth, I was scared of facin' those guys straight up. I couldn't stand how much they hated me. It only just made me think of how stupid I was." He sighed. "I can't believe I used to be friends with those jerks, though. You helped me realize that, RenRen. I'm glad I can call you a real friend. You didn't abandon me. So...thanks, man."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's all because of you," Ren pointed out. "We both helped each other."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji chuckled in response. "It's funny, huh?" he asked. "This started out as us trainin'. How'd it end up like this? Either way, it's my turn now. If anything comes up, you tell me. I'll help you with whatever you need."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks," Ren replied. He could feel a strong bond with Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Ryuji gasped slightly as his eyes widened. Much like with Ann, a flash of blue appeared in his eyes. "I can feel it..." he said. "My new power! I think my Persona got stronger!" He grinned wide. "All right! Now that I have that off my chest, let's dig in! I've actually been a regular here since my track days, but this is my first time bringing somebody else."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let's make it a celebration," Ren suggested. "To the track team and our friendship."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, hell yeah!" Ryuji agreed.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That evening, Ren returned to LeBlanc with a huge smile on his face, much to Sojiro's confusion. But that wasn't the only new thing he brought back.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ramen shop souvenirs?" Morgana asked, noticing the new decoration on Ren's shelf. "You've got real weird taste."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I dunno," Ren replied, still smiling. "I think it looks kinda cool."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, right before class started, Ren told Ms. Kawakami what had happened. When he was finished, she had her own news to report.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So it turns out Mr. Yamauchi won't be the advisor of the track team after all," Ms. Kawakami revealed. "The president of the PTA revealed what happened to Ms. Chouno, who used what influences she has to keep the team safe."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So who's gonna be the new advisor?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Their former coach is coming back to Shujin," Ms. Kawakami answered.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's great!" Ren exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You can feel free to call me again if you like, Amamiya-kun," Ms. Kawakami offered. "I'll be more than happy to provide you with some of my special services."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Like help with homework?" Ren hoped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you wish," Ms. Kawakami replied. "But my specialties are cleaning, laundry, and massages."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll...pass," Ren muttered, feeling tense about the whole massage offer.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I may not look it, but I'm actually pretty good," Ms. Kawakami insisted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"O-Okay..." Ren stammered. Maybe he should wait until tonight to tell her about Sano...</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0078"><h2>78. How to Expose a Fraud</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Will the change of heart work this time? Only one way to find out!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Not much happened for a while. In fact, it didn't take very long for June 4th to arrive. So after yet another typical school day, Ren received a text from Ann.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">The exhibition ends tomorrow. Madarame must have had his change of heart by now, right?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm sure it'll be fine. So far nobody's come charging us with anything, yeah?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">The student council president tried to interrogate me a few days ago.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That's not what I meant, RenRen!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What about that deadline? If this is anything like Kamoshida, we should expect actual results tomorrow.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You're right, Pixie. He would wait to press charges until AFTER the exhibition. What should we do if someone contacts us about it tomorrow?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Try asking Yusuke. She's still staying with Madarame, right?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Not unless something happened.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Where is she, anyway?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I don't know, but I wonder if she'll be okay with Madarame...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sorry I'm late to contact you all. It seems something will certainly be happening tomorrow. Madarame is on the phone as we speak.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What do you mean, something?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I believe he is preparing for a media announcement. I didn't hear anything about pressing charges.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Guess we just gotta wait then.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Why wait? I think this means we won. Remember what happened to Kamoshida? After he left school for a while, he came back on the day of his deadline and confessed to everything. We should be expecting a similar outcome tomorrow.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Huh... That sounds about right.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We did it, hee-ho!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Let us meet in Shibuya tomorrow.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Okay. See you then!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The exhibition is finally ending tomorrow," Morgana said, sounding relieved. "I'm sure things will work out fine this time too."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">The next morning, something unusual happened. In the very heart of Shibuya, Madarame appeared on a news broadcast. This ended up drawing the attention of a few bystanders.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's up with that old geezer?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is he...crying?"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I... I have committed crimes that are unbecoming of an artist," Madarame said. "Plainly put... I, um...plaguized work... I-I...tainted this-this country's art world...and...even Sayuri! Not to mention...continuously misgendering...th-the original painter's...d-daughter!" He started sobbing. "H-How could I...I possibly...apologize to-to everyone for...for what I've done...! FORGIVE ME, SHIROI!!!!!!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the broadcast continued to air, more and more people stopped in their tracks.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Woo! He's crying way too much."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And that was from the urgent apology conference by Madarame that took place just a moment ago," the news reporter described. "After reporting to the association, Madarame has agreed to the police's request to turn himself in."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wasn't he on TV with a frizzy-haired high schooler the other day?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"On top of charges of abuse to his pupils, Madarame is under suspicion of claiming their works as his own," the news reporter continued. "Some doubt the validity that his maiden work Sayuri was stolen, believing it was used for fraud, with one of those claims coming from Japan's very own Keiko Amamiya of Ichib. This large-scale criminal act has caused a great shock to the art world, and..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That old man's done for."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"After the conference, Madarame was taken to a police hospital for interrogation due to his age," the news reporter continued. "However, his initial psych evaluation state that he is mentally sound and likely responsible for his actions."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's no need to be nice to an old geezer like that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why'd he spill the beans himself? Doesn't that seem weird?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Also, a group calling themselves the Phantom Thieves of Hearts posted a dubious note at Madarame's exhibit," the news reporter added. "The police will investigate their relation to the case, but for now, did not identify them as suspects."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Nakanohara, who just so happened to be in the area, couldn't help but smile, glad to see Madarame finally got his just desserts. However, other people near him weren't all that calm with this sudden reveal.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Phantom Thieves of Hearts? Do these bandits have somethin' to do with that old geezer's apology?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ohhh, I've heard of them before. They supposedly steal evil hearts. It's why the culprits apologize."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait, what? Steal hearts? That's impossible though."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But I feel like I saw somethin' about that online too. They sent out a calling card for real."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, so it was like 'we're going to take your heart'? That's impressive if someone really did that."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The Phantom Thieves of Hearts, huh?"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They've done it again..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet among the various people in the area...</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...only one group was discreetly celebrating.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Over at the karaoke bar, the team was enjoying their latest success. "We've done it again!" Ryuji cheered, raising his glass. "It's just like what happened with Kamoshida!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And they mentioned the Phantom Thieves of Hearts!" Ann pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took out his phone after hearing a familiar notification beep.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So that's what a change of heart looks like, hee-ho! I heard it from that news lady, hee-ho!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I must say, I was surprised to see them also mention my mom," Ren admitted. "I wonder how she's handling the news..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Cheer up, RenRen!" Ryuji encouraged. "This are startin' to get interesting! If we do it right, we can keep changing people's hearts. With this power, we might be able to do more than just gettin' back at society. It'll be a big deal!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't know..." Ren sighed. "We shouldn't let this get to our heads."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Man, you're so indifferent," Ryuji complained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then again, doesn't that make him more trustworthy as our leader?" Ann pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Ren Amamiya and Ryuji Sakamoto... You two couldn't be any more different, yet you still get along.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Eh, I hope we just keep gettin' more and more famous," Ryuji replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Something like this happening twice is massive too," Morgana chimed in. "It's too great a coincidence to occur normally."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If we continue doing this, we'll definitely be able to give courage to everyone who needs it," Ann added.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We may want to quiet down a little," Yusuke advised. "Even in a secluded place like this, there is still the possibility of people overhearing our conversations."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Good call, Yusuke," Ren agreed. "We should be careful with our words whenever we're out in public. Who knows what kind of people are nearby."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana nodded in agreement. "From now on, we'll need to be even more cautious than before," he warned. "Look at us! Right after the second incident, both prior victims are meeting up."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait, you mean people might be listening to us?" Ann assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's better to be too careful than too careless," Ren replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Eh, it'll be fine," Ryuji dismissed. "I bet we're the only people worryin' about it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess you're right..." Ann reluctantly agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"By the way, Yusuke..." Ryuji said, changing topics. "You able to get anything out of Madarame? Remember how he was talkin' about that suspicious person in the black mask?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well...I pressed him for answers, but he doesn't even understand what happened to him to begin with," Yusuke revealed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's not like he actually saw his desires get stolen, after all," Ann recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's rumored that he may be sent to prison," Yusuke continued. "In that case, getting information will be difficult."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then what's your next move?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll be leaving that house," Yusuke decided. "I can't draw in such a place anymore, not when it leaves nothing but bad memories."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Do you have somewhere to go?" Ann checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The school dorms," Yusuke answered. "I can stay there free of charge thanks to my fine arts scholarship."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A scholarship?!" Ryuji repeated. "Wait, you're that good?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Although, Ann's house would do as well," Yusuke pondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Wait, WHAT?!" Ann shrieked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji cleared his throat as an attempt to change topics. "Anyway, now that Yusuke'll be livin' alone, it'll be easier for us to meet up whenever we want," he pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"For the time being, we should wait and see how this case plays out," Yusuke suggested.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And it'll prolly take some time findin' a target as big as Madarame," Ryuji realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then it's back to living as normal students," Ren agreed. "That seems like a safer action."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll be entrusting that to you again, Ryuji," Morgana chimed in.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right," Ryuji sighed. "Guess it's just more prep 'til then."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The Madarame Arc is officially completed! The Kaneshiro Arc is next, but I must warn you. Things are about to take a turn for the worst...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0079"><h2>79. The Peaceful Neighborhood of Kichijoji</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>What better way to relax from a heist than by playing darts?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With nothing else left to do, the team dispersed for the day. But not long after they separated, both Ren and Ryuji received a surprised text.</p><p>"Looks like Yusuke's textin' me," Ryuji noticed as he checked his phone. "I think you're getting 'em too."</p><p>YUSUKE:<br/>You have my gratitude.</p><p>RYUJI:<br/>What're you so polite for all of a sudden?</p><p>YUSUKE:<br/>I truly am thankful to you for making me come to my sense and for helping me realize my true self.</p><p>REN:<br/>You're exaggerating. All I did was show you what kind of person Madarame really is. You made the choice to become a better person.</p><p>YUSUKE:<br/>I most certainly am not exaggerating. I must express my gratitude earnestly.</p><p>RYUJI:<br/>I think RenRen's trying to say you're one of us now, man. We'll be counting on you, mkay?</p><p>YUSUKE:<br/>Of course.</p><p>ANN:<br/>And if anything comes up, we won't hesitate to lend a hand.</p><p>PIXIE:<br/>The same goes for you, Jack Frost. You're officially one of us.</p><p>JACK FROST:<br/>😁 Thank you, hee-ho!</p><p>YUSUKE:<br/>Indeed. Well then, see you.</p><p>"She didn't have to go through all that trouble just to thank us," Ryuji pointed out. "She's such an honest gal. Anyways, that went well for our second job, huh? It was a huge success! So, that said...you got time after this?"</p><p>"For what?" Ren asked in response.</p><p>"Well, this is, I got some free tickets to a darts lounge from this guy I know," Ryuji explained. "But, I totally forgot that they expire today. So...you wanna go right now?"</p><p>But before Ren could answer, Morgana spoke out. "Ryuji...didn't we just finish talking about how we need to be on guard?" the not-cat warned.</p><p>"C'mon, it's just darts!" Ryuji insisted, taking out the tickets and waving them in Morgana's face. "Don't you wanna play too, Morgana?" He then realized a slight issue. "...I mean, if you can actually throw anything."</p><p>"If you're just going to play, then I guess it shouldn't be a problem," Morgana decided.</p><p>"Then it's settled," Ren said. "Let's head over to this dart lounge. Where is it?"</p><p>"The place is in Kichijoji, so we gotta take the train first," Ryuji answered.</p><p>"Kichijoji...?" Ren repeated. "I've never been there."</p><p>"Oh right, cuz you don't live here," Ryuji realized. "There's a buncha different shops right outside the station there. It's just one stop away from Shibuya, so let's head for the Inogami Line first."</p><p>Yet as the two teens ventured on, they appeared to be completely unaware of someone watching them from afar...</p><hr/><p>Some time later, Ren, Ryuji, and Morgana arrived in the downtown area of Kichijoji. Upon leaving the station, Ren was in complete awe. He had never seen a place so lively before. It was nothing like the rest of Tokyo.</p><p>"So this is Kichijoji..." Ren said.</p><p>"You can tell it's nothing like Shibuya, just from the atmosphere alone," Morgana chimed in.</p><p>"Well, yeah," Ryuji agreed. "Looks like there're a lot of shops here that you can't find in Shibuya. Not that I'd really know."</p><p>"It seems interesting," Ren commented, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.</p><p>"Oh, it's got your attention now, huh?" Ryuji joked with a playful elbow-jab. "Ann's not here 'cause she's busy, but I bet it'd be fun to come here with some more people. I think the darts lounge is one block up from the main street. But since we're here, I won't say no to checkin' out a bunch of the other shops on the way."</p><p>But before the two could enter the area, a flash of teal blue caught his eye. Standing nearby was a girl reading a magazine. Granted he wouldn't let that bother him, but she was holding the magazine upside-down. Having a sneaky suspicion, he casually walked over to the girl and snatched the magazine from her grasp.</p><p>"Fancy seeing you here, Nijima," Ren greeted with a pleasant smile.</p><p>"A-Amamiya..." Makoto stammered. "M-My, what a coincidence."</p><p>Ren proceeded to check the magazine. "I must say, you have an interesting taste in reading material," he said, skimming through the pages. "Were you checking out some kind of hidden puzzle?"</p><p>"Wh-Why do you ask?" Makoto asked in response.</p><p>Ren gave the brunette girl a cheeky grin. "Because you appeared to be reading it upside-down," he said, handing the magazine back to her. "Unless I'm mistaken and you can read printed material that way."</p><p>Instead of properly responding, Makoto snatched the magazine back and walked off without a word. Yet the somewhat miffed expression indicated she didn't like getting caught off guard. Ren chuckled as he pushed up his glasses. "Mission accomplished," he bragged.</p><p>"Whoa..." Ryuji muttered. "Good eye."</p><p>"Hopefully she learned her lesson and she'll stop stalking us," Ren replied. "Now let's head over to the darts lounge."</p><hr/><p>Kichijoji turned out to be better than what Ren expected. There were various shops that sold different food and clothing, but what really caught his attention was a bookstore. Using some yen he picked up from Mementos, he purchased a couple of books, which included The Wife by Anton Chekov. He also came across an unusual clothing store, where he picked up a white button-up shirt and a black short-sleeved t-shirt. Maybe he can come up with a new look with these shirts...</p><p>After checking out a few other shops, such as a supermarket that sells foreign goods, the two found themselves in a different road. This prompt Ryuji to check the tickets to make sure the address was correct.</p><p>"Ah, this is the road!" the blonde teen confirmed. "The name of that shop matches what's on the free tickets." He double-checked the tickets. "It says...Penguin Sniper? Huh? Why'd you give one of those doofy birds a gun?"</p><p>"It's not meant to be taken literally!" Morgana replied.</p><p>"Still, if you're comin' up with a good name..." Ryuji sighed. "Well, whatever. Let's check it out!"</p><p>But before they head inside, Ren noticed a nearby store called Two Windows. From what he could tell, it appeared to be a shop that sells glasses.</p><p>"A store that only sells glasses," Morgana said. "Check out all the different kinds they have."</p><p>"I keep forgettin', but your glasses are fake, huh?" Ryuji checked. "Why'd you get them if you have good eyesight?"</p><p>"It was to keep a low profile," Ren answered. "I was told I have a sharp gaze, so I figured wearing glasses could help hide that. But afterwards, I realized it helped hide something else."</p><p>"What's that?" Ryuji asked.</p><p>Ren responded by lowering his glasses and blinking a few times. "The resemblance to my mom," he explained. "Like you saw on the news, she's kind of a big deal. People can't get a good look at my eyes while I wear these, including my long eyelashes."</p><p>"Must stink having a celebrity parent, huh?" Ryuji joked.</p><p>"In a way," Ren admitted, pushing up his glasses.</p><p>With the whole glasses talk finished, the two teens walked up to Penguin Sniper. "Here, this is the place," Ryuji confirmed. "Oh man, I'm getting kind of nervous..."</p><p>Morgana couldn't help but chuckle. "You're such a child," he said jokingly. "Try not to embarrass the rest of us, would you?"</p><p>"You don't gotta tell me that!" Ryuji replied. "Now let's head inside!"</p><hr/><p>After Ryuji paid with the tickets, he, Ren and Morgana enjoyed playing darts with the DARTSLIVE3 machine on display. That was when Ren learned a surprising new fact about his ex-runner friend.</p><p>"All right, bull!" Ryuji cheered. "That's a new high score!"</p><p>"You seem to know a lot," Ren commented.</p><p>"The center of the target's called the bullseye," Ryuji explained. "If you land a dart there, it's called 'bull'." He paused. "...I know because I looked up the rules online last night. Anyway, this game's called 01. You win by getting your score all the way down to zero points before the other player."</p><p>"Oh, so you're not trying to get a high score, but get rid of your score?" Morgana chimed in. "That's pretty different."</p><p>"We both start with the same score, then you lose points based on the number on the board where your dart lands," Ryuji continued. "And you can only win if you get your score down to zero, exactly. You can't even be off by a single point. How's that sound? Pretty sick, right?"</p><p>"That means the player has to calculate their score properly while hitting the right numbers," Ren interpreted. He smirked and tossed a dart in his hand. "Sounds easy enough."</p><p>What happened next was an impressive display of thrown darts. Using careful calculations, Ren threw one dart after another, able to get his score down to zero in a matter of minutes. In fact, he was quicker than Ryuji.</p><p>"That was incredible!" Morgana exclaimed. "You finished off that point without breaking a sweat!"</p><p>"That was a little too quick," Ren admitted. "And kind of lonely. Are you sure there isn't a way for all of us to play together?"</p><p>"I think there is," Ryuji revealed. "I was just readin' this flyer. It says, darts is a party when you play in pairs. You team up with someone and alternate throwers when it's your turn. You still use the same rules I told you, though. Whaddya say we give it a try?"</p><p>"Yeah, sounds fun," Ren agreed. "We can also get Morgana to join in as well."</p><p>"What?!" Morgana exclaimed. He raised his paw. "How am I supposed to play when I don't have opposable thumbs in this body?!"</p><p>Ren's gaze shifted over to a nearby stool. "I think we can work something out."</p><p>A while later, the three were finally set up. Ren started things off with a seemingly perfect throw. "Whoa!" Ryuji exclaimed. "A bull right off the bat?! Man, talk about an exciting opening!"</p><p>Once Ren made his three throws, he passed it on to Ryuji with a high-five. "Here goes!" the blonde teen said. "Don't underestimate an ex-athlete!"</p><p>While the planning took a bit longer, Ryuji was able to make his three throws. His last throw, however, was a bit unexpected.</p><p>"HELL YEAH!" Ryuji cheered. "Triple 20!"</p><p>"Whoa, you hit such a tiny spot!" Morgana complimented. "Quite impressive! Especially for you, Ryuji."</p><p>Morgana was up next. Ren's idea for him to get involved required teamwork. While Morgana stood on a stool, he would instruct Ren to hold a dart at a specific angle. Then with perfect timing, the not-cat would jump up and smack the dart with his paw. It wasn't exactly the best strategy, but it worked.</p><p>"That was impressive, if I do say so myself," Morgana bragged. He gave Ren a high-five. "We're almost down to zero points. Let's make these last throws count!"</p><p>Some time later, they managed to finish up the game. "Woohoooo!" Ryuji cheered. "Zero points, right on the dot! Ain't we badass?!"</p><p>"That's no easy feat!" Morgana admitted. "We really do have something special going on!"</p><p>"Man, this is so fun," Ryuji said with a slight laugh. "When you're on the line, the pressure's insane, but it makes you wanna do your best for your partner!"</p><p>"You're right about that," Ren agreed, now having a better understanding with playing darts.</p><p>"Hm, based on the looks on your faces, I'm guessing both of you got something out of this game," Morgana noticed. "Even if it is just a game, it can be some kinda training, depending on how you play."</p><p>"That's a good way to look at it," Ren replied.</p><p>"Heh... Well, I do always have the Phantom Thieves of Hearts on the brain," Morgana bragged. "Let's keep practicing together here. Maybe we can invite everybody next time."</p><p>"Man... All this, just from me askin' you to meet me here!" Ryuji told Ren. "This is, like...y'know...one of those strikes of good luck!"</p><p>"A stroke of good luck!" Morgana corrected. "Why would it be a strike? Who would protest having good luck?"</p><p>At that moment, Ryuji noticed some people nearby playing pool. "Oh yeah, they have pool here, too!" he remembered.</p><p>"Hmm... This game could be useful too, depending on how we look at it," Morgana suspected.</p><p>"It's already pretty late, though," Ryuji realized. "We can come back and play it later."</p><p>"Ah, and don't forget," Morgana chimed in. "We got a couple of free tickets to play today, but next time you'll have to pay up."</p><p>"But it was super fun, right?!" Ryuji happily asked. "I really wanna play again sometime!"</p><p>"Uh, sure..." Ren agreed, realizing that aside from his emergency 3,000,000 yen, he was kind of short on funds. <em>"I should get a part-time job..."</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0080"><h2>80. Business as Usual</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Teenagers in high school are busy during the evening hours of Shibuya.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry this chapter is so short. Adding events from the next day wouldn’t fit with the story flow.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That evening, when Ren returned to LeBlanc, Sojiro had something to tell him. "If I remember correctly, you transfer lines at Shibuya, correct?" the older gentleman checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah," Ren confirmed. "Why do you ask?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I heard customers say it's gotten pretty dangerous over there," Sojiro explained. "Don't let yourself be a target, got it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course not, sir," Ren replied. "I'll be careful."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wow. It's really gotten that unsafe, huh?" Morgana commented. "That said, what about your nighttimes with Yoshida?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry about it," Ren reassured as he headed over to the attic steps. "I'll think of something."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Despite the warning about Shibuya, Ren met up with Yoshida to help him out with yet another speech. So as he stood there holding up the plague, he noticed a flash of teal blue walking by. Was that...?</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I've been hearing this type of criticism about the government a lot lately."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice snapped Ren out of his thoughts. Unlike the previous times, a few more people actually stopped to listen. Unfortunately, the feedback wasn't quite so...favorable.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's because Diet Member Shido has been gaining popularity by saying the same thing."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So he's just echoing another politician's criticism of the government?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Apparently."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So first you stole party funds, and now you're stealing ideas, No-Good Tora?! Stop talking all big, you ex-convict!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That did it for Ren. "Just shut up and listen!" he shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The detractor, a man wearing a yellow jacket, was taken back by surprise. "What was that?!" he challenged. "You got something to say to me, kid?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you think?" Ren spat out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The detractor looked shaken. "Wh-What's up with this kid...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what if you people call him 'no good'?" Ren continued. "Listen to what he has to say!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why, you little punk..." the detractor grumbled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yoshida decided to step in before things got ugly. "Yes, I am 'No-Good Tora', and I have made mistakes," he spoke up. "Yes, I am unpopular and powerless. But that has nothing to do with my arguments! These are things I learned from all my hardships. You can ridicule me all you want, but I will continue to oppose what is wrong with this world!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While the detractor was left surprised by those words, there was some applause coming from the audience. Ren couldn't help but clap as well, happy he made the right choice helping someone like Yoshida. He could use that kind of confidence when he runs for office years from now.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Some time later, Yoshida spoke to Ren in private. "Today's speech ended up being filled with a lot of passion," the elder gentleman said. "Quite unexpectedly, I might add. The highlight, though, was your yelling."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh... Thank you," Ren replied, feeling a bit embarrassed. "But I couldn't help myself. He was saying some nasty stuff about you. I had to shut him up by telling the truth."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's very promising," Yoshida complimented. "But don't overdo it. You should avoid making enemies whenever possible."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, the same detractor from earlier walked over. "You two are amazing," he said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you want?" Ren asked, expecting more hurtful words.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I've been wrong this whole time," the detractor apologized. "Even though someone has failed in the past, it doesn't mean that person can't try again. That's all I wanted to say." But before he could leave, a voice stopped him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please wait," Yoshida said. "Thank you. That is all I wanted to say."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're a strange one," the ex-detractor commented. "Just like that frizzy-haired kid."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the ex-detractor left, Ren had some questions of his own. "Were you always so bold with your words?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not recently," Yoshida admitted. "I learned something from your dauntless spirit today. As I have already told you, I have a bad habit of getting flustered whenever someone calls me 'No-Good Tora'. But you see me as someone of value, so I refuse to cower to criticism in front of an aspiring politician such as you. Today you taught me that I must have more confidence in my arguments."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shouldn't it be the other way around with you teaching me things?" Ren humorously pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yoshida chuckled in response. "You're right, Amamiya-kun," he agreed. "But I must admit, my way of thinking changes when I'm with you. Perhaps it's the influence of your youthful spirit. Either way, I'm glad I met someone as aspiring as you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Ren replied. He could feel like his bond with Yoshida was growing deeper.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">"There you are. Hurry up and get dressed. You have customers to take."</p><p class="p1">...</p><p class="p1">"What's the matter? Have you forgotten our deal."</p><p class="p1">"Of course not."</p><p class="p1">"Then start making money already. If I don't see a single yen coming out of your hands, things might get a little ugly."</p><p class="p1">"...!"</p><p class="p1">"Heh... That's more like it. Now get going."</p><p class="p1">...</p><p class="p1">...</p><p class="p1">...</p><p class="p1">"...Why?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0081"><h2>81. Meme Status</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>What happens when people forget the context of certain words or phrases?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day was a bit different from other school days. With the weather getting warmer, students were required to switch to their summer uniforms, and Ren was no exception. Now that he switched to short sleeves, he noticed his arms had developed some muscle from the frequent morning pull-ups. He made a quick mental note to stop by Takemi's clinic to check with his progress.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After the usual train ride, Ren met up with Ryuji at the station. "Morniiin'!" the blonde teen happily greeted. "The response to Madarame's press conference was huge! Everyone's talkin' about the calling card!" He smirked. "Girls are checkin' me out today. Maybe they can't help but sense my overflowin' charisma?" Realization dawned on him. "Oh shit, am I finally startin' to be popular with all the fly hon- Why're you staring at me like that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Looking good, Ryuji," Ren complimented with a weak thumbs-up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji looked at his current attire. "Oh no!" he panicked. "I'm wearing the wrong uniform! We're s'posed to switch to summer uniforms today! I knew people were lookin' at me... Oh, goddammit! I gotta go home and change, so you go on ahead!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After that unfortunate encounter, Ren headed over to Shujin. Along the way, he overheard a conversation between two nearby students.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Holy shit you're pale! Short sleeves are so not for you!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shut up! Geez... Anyway, did you catch the news yesterday? Watching that old geezer cry his eyes out over something about paintings... The same thing happened to Kamoshida, right? Both got weird calling cards, too. If you ask me, the same person is behind all this."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The news this morning said a group called the Phantom Thieves of Hearts are the ones behind the cards. I wonder how they get people to confess. I mean, they can't be literally stealing hearts. Blackmail, maybe?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ryuji ran over to Ren. "Made it!" he gasped. "Sprinting first thing in the morning was a bad idea..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't push yourself too much," Ren advised.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nah, it's all good," Ryuji insisted. "That's definitely my personal best...by a lot."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How are things going in regard to that matter we spoke of earlier?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I...have nothing to report yet."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nothing at all? How many students are there who could provoke a teacher?"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I've already narrowed it down. I just...can't get any solid evidence."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You knew, didn't you? About Mr. Kamoshida sexually harassing and students and forcing them to hook up."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sir!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What will come of you asking that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This investigation is for a just cause, correct?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I believe I understand how flustered this must be making you. I'm sure it truly was shocking for you as student council president to see a peer attempt suicide."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We must provide a school environment where all students can feel at ease. That is the most pressing issue we have to tackle at the moment."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's your reason behind this investigation on the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. We don't even know if they truly exist. Why are you-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You heard about the incident with that Madarame fellow, I assume? Aside from other students frequently quoting his press conference, of course."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...They said there was a similar calling card to the one used in Mr. Kamoshida's case."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wish to believe that this is unrelated to our students."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That is where I stand. I suggest you devote your energy to the task at hand, not unnecessary questions."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">During lunchtime, a peculiar conversation was going on in Ren's homeroom.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Did you see yesterday's press conference?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean that guy who was all like 'how could I possibly apologize for what I've done'? Man, that was hilarious."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Think it was really those phantom thieves? You know, the whole stealing your heart thing."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That... There's no way. But then again...it seems too convenient for it all to be just coincidence."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji, who just so happened to be in the room, was grinning from ear-to-ear. Before he could listen in further, Ann walked over.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How's it going?" Ann asked. "Have you found our next big target?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nothing on my end," Ren replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I just started lookin' yesterday," Ryuji reported. "No way I'm gonna find one that quick."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh yeah, I guess that's true," Ann agreed. "By the way, I decided on the TV station. What about you two?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The National Diet," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It took Ryuji a while to realize what Ren and Ann were talking about. "Oh crap, the social studies trip!" he realized. "I just wanna ditch it..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You'd better go to your school activities," Morgana advised. "Didn't I tell you not to draw attention to yourselves?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wouldn't me suddenly turnin' into a good student stand out more?" Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Quit bickering and go," Morgana spat out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then how about you come with me to the National Diet," Ren offered. "There's going to be a tour of the building and a guest lecture from an Diet member. If we're lucky, we might see a bill get passed as a law."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Or you can go to the TV station with me," Ann suggested. "I heard we're gonna get to watch them tape a show! Maybe there'll be actresses there!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That caught Ryuji's attention. "Oh well," he sighed. "Not like I got anything better to do than waitin' for info to come in online. Plus, Morgana's right. Showin' up'll keep the teachers from gettin' all suspicious of me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Does this mean you'll come with me?" Ren hoped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?" Ryuji muttered. "Nah, I'll go to the TV station. Have fun doin' all that political stuff you just mentioned."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Ryuji headed back to his classroom, Morgana looked a bit disappointed. "That guy is such an idiot," he blurted out. "I hope nothing happens..."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That afternoon, Ren was too busy with Mr. Ushimaru's latest lesson that he didn't bother checking his phone for the recent group text discussion.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Feels pretty great having everyone talk about us, huh?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Madarame is the only topic of conversation at my school. And as I'm his former pupil, most of my peers have chosen to ignore me.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">For real? That's bullshit.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Can't be as bad as what's going on in Shujin. Just about everyone sees Madarame as a crazy old man who went into sobbing hysterics on TV. From what I heard, other people in Ren's class are starting to quote that sobbing outburst near the end of his confession.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Is that a bad thing?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I dunno. I can't understand humans and their weird trends.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Shit like that happens all the time, Pixie. Sometimes if people keep usin' the same words without fully understanding the source, it kinda loses all meaning. Sounds like the same thing's gonna happen to Madarame.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Are you gonna be okay, Yusuke-chan?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">There is no need to worry. They had already been treating me differently from others as it stood. This is nothing new to me.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Okay then...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">More importantly, do we have any leads on our next mission?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">You kidding? There's no way we'd find a target that quick!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">What about you, Ren? Have you found anything worthwhile?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Don't bother. He's kinda busy right now.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The 1955 System," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Correct," Mr. Ushimaru confirmed. "That was when the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan was established."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I can't believe he wants to go to the National Diet instead of the TV station. He'll miss out on the taping!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I get why he made that decision. He seems pretty dedicated to his studies, especially when political history is involved.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">If we need a target, why not go to Mementos, hee-ho?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Great idea!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I will keep myself free. Please tell me if anything comes up.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0082"><h2>82. The Royal Duo</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren spends some time with Maruki and Kasumi.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The rest of the school day was pretty much typical. But before Ren could meet up with Takemi, a sudden text alert resulted in a change of plans.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MARUKI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So, regarding my research... Do you have any time today? If you're free, I'd like to get some more input from you.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">As long as you have advice for my own problems, I'll be there.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MARUKI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That's great. I'll be waiting in the courtyard.</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">And so, while Morgana went off to do whatever he wanted, Ren headed over to the courtyard. Sure enough, Maruki was already there. After exchanging friendly greetings, Ren sat next to the doctor on a bench, wondering why he wanted to meet up here.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So...why here?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I've been stuck in the nurse's office for the longest time, and I want a change of pace," Maruki answered. He was silent for a few minutes before letting out a sigh. "Well, Amamiya-kun, I just found out how scary cats can be, despite their cuteness."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Where's this coming from?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, it happened on my way to school this morning," Maruki explained. "I spotted a kitten that had gotten itself stuck up in a tree. I tried rescuing it since I felt bad for it, but I ended up with the clawing of a lifetime for the effort." He rubbed his wrist. "I had no idea a cat's claws were so sharp..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I know, right?" Ren agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Speaking from experience, eh?" Maruki assumed. "It really does hurt a lot."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"I got a therapy cat shortly after I came to Tokyo," Ren explained. "It's a hassle, but all the scratches are worth it."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that so?" Maruki asked. "That's a good coping mechanism. Seeking comfort with a pet can benefit your recovery. But why a cat?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"It wasn't really my choice," Ren admitted. "Morgana followed me from school one day. He kind of chose me instead of the other way around."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"At least you're more fortunate with cats," Maruki chuckled. "But I was still able to rescue the kitten, so it was all still worthwhile. All I really have to do is make sure to put antibiotics on the scratches, anyway. Well, let's move on and talk about a different kind of pain. We discussed this for a bit last time we talked, actually. The pain felt within one's heart. There are all sorts of ways to identify and diagnose physical injuries and illnesses. But when it comes to pains of the heart, we're working in unknown territory. There's so much we haven't learned yet. Treating trauma sure is difficult when it's invisible. If only we could somehow directly reduce emotional pain in a healthy way, like putting antibiotics on a scratch."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that what you're researching?" Ren checked. "Because that's be great for someone like me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, how astute of you!" Maruki complimented. "As a matter of fact, you're not too far off the mark. Unfortunate as it may be, we all know there's no topical medicine that can properly heal a heartache. Not only that, physiological issues are even more complex. Here, allow me to demonstrate..." He stood up and clutched his heart. "Oh, Amamiya-kun, woe is me! My heart is in such pain! It's like I'm being pierced through the chest! I have such a torturous burning deep inside me!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Not sure how to respond, Ren could only applause at the attempted theatrics. "Uh... Thank you?" Maruki asked as he sat back down. "But basically what I'm getting at is, our own emotional pain is the only kind we can fully comprehend. That seems obvious, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It think so," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But it's absolutely vital to understand," Maruki continued. "A person's heart, their pain, cannot be seen. Even if they spent their whole lives expressing it to others, there is no way for them to truly grasp it. It's not like we can directly look at their hearts and remove the root causes of their pain. But for me to do any good in that area, I need to conduct further research into the heart. More specifically, I need to learn how the heart reacts to the world around it. That's the first stepping stone to a breakthrough in the field. Once that's been figured out, we'll not only comprehend physiological pains that were once unknowable, but we'll even be able to perform more effective treatment for those people with wounded hearts."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're so kind," Ren blurted out, wondering if that hypothetical treatment could work for him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Maruki let out another chuckle. "I'm no saint," he replied. "I just want to do my job well. If we can get rid of people's pain, that'd be for the best, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It would for me," Ren admitted. "If there was some way to erase my pain, this whole probation thing wouldn't have happened."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm no fan of pain, myself," Maruki agreed. "On the other hand, people have laughed off my idea as just a silly, pointless dream...and I can't say I blame them. But still, you take the time to listen to what I have to say, and you actually try to understand. Thanks to you, I can tell I'm actually getting somewhere with my theories. I guess you can say you're making this hazy, hard-to-grasp idea finally appear before me. You know, you could very well become a counselor yourself someday. Say, would you like to try being my assistant?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Your...assistant?" Ren asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Unpaid, of course," Maruki added. "I'm on a shoestring budget, so I wouldn't be able to pay you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you, but I'll have to pass," Ren declined. "I already have dreams of becoming a politician."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that so?" Maruki asked in response. "I'm impressed you already have a future planned out. How long have you had this dream?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ever since middle school," Ren answered. "I realized if no one is going to make a difference for this country, I should do it myself."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's a very noble cause," Maruki complimented. "And who knows? Maybe you will become a just politician in the future. With that aside, I truly am grateful for your assistance. Thank you, Amamiya-kun."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're welcome," Ren replied. He could sense Maruki's gratitude towards him.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Let's put a pin in that for today, shall we?" Maruki decided. "I hope you'll lend an ear again when you've got the time to spare. Now I know you've been waiting for this, so how's your progress with Akechi?"</p><p class="p2">A small grin appeared on Ren's face. "He visited the cafe again," he recalled. "We mostly chatted about various things. Well, he did most of the talking. I just listened. But..." He took out his phone and showed a particular website to Maruki. "...I asked him if I could follow his food blog and he said 'yes'."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"When are you going to see him again?" Maruki asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren sighed as he started scrolling through the blog. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "I want to exchange contact information the next time I see him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sure you two will cross paths," Maruki reassured. "It sounds like you're off to a great start, though."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hope so..." Ren agreed, partially wondering why some of Akechi's blog posts were labeled as 'Hidden'.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">With his counseling session over, Ren planned to head straight to Takemi's clinic for a checkup appointment. But upon arriving at the school entrance, he ran into a familiar face.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah, Amamiya-senpai," Kasumi greeted, bowing slightly. "What a pleasant surprise." She looked up at the sky. "It's really pouring down, isn't it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I thought something like this would happen, so I snuck a collapsible umbrella into your bag!" Morgana cheekily revealed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What a considerate kitty," Ren remarked as he took out the umbrella and opened it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course," Morgana bragged. "This isn't something any ordinary cat would do." He realized what he just said. "And just in case you've forgotten again, I'm a human, not a cat!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, see you around," Kasumi said. But before she could leave school, a voice stopped her.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Where's your umbrella?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Unfortunately, I forgot it..." Kasumi revealed. "But it's fine. I'll barely get wet if I run to the station. If anything, it'll make for good training."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But Ren wouldn't accept that decision. "Care to walk together?" he offered, channeling his gentlemanly upbringing.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh?" Kasumi muttered. "But how are..." Realization dawned on her. "Oh, are you offering to share your umbrella?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Indeed, I am," Ren confirmed with a nod.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"That'd be wonderful!" Kasumi exclaimed. "Thank you so much!"</p><hr/><p class="p2">The walk to the train station was rather peaceful. Ren and Kasumi talked about various things, such as the upcoming social studies trip. Ren was more than happy to tell Kasumi about all the things he's looking forward to. Unlike Ryuji, she was genuinely intrigued by what he said, understanding that Ren was interested in learning about how the National Diet works.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, um... Thanks again for letting me join," Kasumi said once Ren was finished. "To be honest, prelims are coming up soon, so I didn't want to take any chances of getting sick."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Prelims?" Ren repeated. "Is it for gymnastics?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, that's right," Kasumi answered. "Two huge competitions are coming up, one at the beginning of summer and one near the end. If I'm going to participate in prelims, I have to be elected as my club's representative. And there's a qualifier meet to determine who that rep will be."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You sure are passionate about this meet," Ren noticed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why wouldn't I be?" Kasumi asked in response. "It's my dream to compete in gymnastics on the global level. So, I plan on maintaining a strict training regimen with my coach."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Go for it," Ren happily encouraged. "I'll cheer you on."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, don't act like that's special," Kasumi humorously replied. "I wanna cheer you on as well. I bet you'll become an amazing politician, Amamiya-senpai!" She then noticed her surroundings. "Oh, we're already at the station..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess we were having so much fun that we lost track of time," Ren assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're probably right..." Kasumi agreed.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At the train station, the two were about to continue their conversation when Kasumi stopped Ren. "I'll be fine from here out," she insisted. Then she grabbed Ren's hand and gently squeezed it. "I can't thank you enough for today. I swear I'll return the favor some-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, isn't that Yoshizawa?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean the honors gymnast? She gets the VIP treatment at school and a boyfriend to escort her around? Miss Special Snowflake sure is livin' on easy street."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren flinched upon hearing the word 'boyfriend', which Kasumi quickly noticed. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "You shouldn't have to deal with a misunderstanding like that."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's better this way," Ren disagreed. "I would rather have other students mistake us as a couple than get called a freak."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not okay!" Kasumi shouted. "I can't stand it when people think I have a boyfriend! You shouldn't let people make assumptions like that!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But-" Ren started to say.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But nothing!" Kasumi interrupted. "Be proud of who you are, Amamiya-senpai! Even if the whole world is against you, you shouldn't let other people dictate who you should like!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That outburst genuinely surprised Ren. "...You don't feel like an outcast because of THAT?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course not," Kasumi confidently answered. "I'm proud to have a girlfriend. Liking people who are the same gender shouldn't be that big of a deal. Sure you like guys, but that doesn't change who you are on the inside."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's exactly what my parents told me," Ren revealed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Besides, having a girlfriend isn't what people focus on," Kasumi added. "They're often wary of me because I'm an honor student. The school's expecting me to attain strong results in the upcoming competition, too. They even told me I didn't have to participate in the cleanup event."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But you came," Ren remembered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't like getting special treatment," Kasumi explained. "Whether it's my honors status or my girlfri-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, a peculiar-sounding beep appeared. "Oh, excuse me," Kasumi said as she took out her worn-looking phone. "My father's calling." She answered it. "Hello, dad?" There was a pause. "What was that? Sorry, my phone's been acting up lately." Another pause. "It's okay, thanks. I'll see you later."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What did your father want?" Ren asked as Kasumi put her phone away.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He asked if I needed a ride since it's raining," Kasumi recapped. She let out a small laugh. "A bit overprotective, don't you think?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can relate," Ren answered. "Ever since I came out to my parents, they have been constantly worrying about my well-being. They used to text me every minute when I was away from home."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about now?" Kasumi questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They can't at the moment," Ren shyly explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, I get it," Kasumi assumed. "I understand if you don't want to talk about it. We all have our own personal issues we don't wanna share. Well, I have to get to practice, so it's time for me to go. Thanks so much for today." She bowed. "Excuse me!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shortly after Kasumi parted ways with Ren, Morgana stuck his head out of his bag. "Seems like Yoshizawa has it hard, too..." the not-cat noticed. "But never mind that. Having wet fur is the worst! Try to keep me under your umbrella, would you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was about to respond when a text interrupted his thoughts. Checking his phone, he noticed it wasn't one of his usual friends.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hey, I found some great intel. This time it's bullying by a Kosei student they call a queen. She's been ordering around a male student who goes the by the name M. Kinda like the M in S&amp;M...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Does the M stand for Mishima?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That's a secret. Anyway, here are the details. The girl acting like a queen is Hikari Shimizu. I wonder if it's more likely that a girl will turn out like that if she has S as an initial. Well, I already posted the warning, so you should take it on when you have the time. Hopefully you don't end up an M!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Thanks. We'll take it from here.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What did he mean by S and M?" Morgana wondered. "Those are shirt sizes, right? Is it the size of clothes?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll ask the others to meet up at the hideout," Ren decided, already sending the text alert. "We'll target this Shimizu queen and Ryuji's hit while we're at it. Hopefully another layer of Mementos will open thanks to Madarame's press conference."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good idea," Morgana agreed. "Ryuji did seem eager to take on this Tsuda guy. Maybe now we can finally access him."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0083"><h2>83. Back to Mementos</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With Mishima’s newest hit, it’s time for another change of heart.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When the team met up at the karaoke bar, their first topic of conversation was unrelated to their new targets.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You haven't heard anything from the student council president, have you?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, I haven't," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji scoffed. "Miss Honor Student must be kissing ass somewhere," he assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You don't have to be so harsh," Ann pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What is this about a student council president?" Yusuke wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right, you don't attend Shujin," Ren remembered. "I think she's been stalking me, Ann, and Ryuji."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You think she might be suspicious of us?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It sounds like it," Ren replied. "She followed me and Ryuji to Kichijoji yesterday and I think she was spying on me later that night."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you sure it is not merely a result of Ryuji's general misconduct?" Yusuke guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shuddup!" Ryuji shouted. "I haven't even mentioned phantom thieves stuff out in public since that conference!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Though to be honest, the three of you most certainly stand out," Yusuke noticed. "Ryuji and Ann are both blondes, while Ren's hair is in absolute disarray. To try to be careful. I cannot be there to look over you at school, you know. That duty rests on your broad shoulders, Ren."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren let out a small choking sound. "They're not that broad..." he muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll make sure to keep an eye on Ryuji too," Ann spoke up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why do you gotta single me out?!" Ryuji groaned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Ann could answer, a familiar notification beeped from Ren's phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Ugh! Enough with the chit-chat! Who are we targeting?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right," Ren said. "I asked you all to come because Mishima picked up a new tip. Yusuke, are you familiar with a girl named Hikari Shimizu?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"I believe so," Yusuke answered. "I have heard gossip about a supposed queen who has been treating her boyfriend like a personal slave."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's exactly what Mishima described," Ren revealed. "He said this queen has been ordering a male student around. Between that and what you said, Yusuke, there's no doubt it's the same girl."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So...what about my hit?" Ryuji spoke up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The last time Mementos opened was after we changed Kamoshida's heart," Ren recalled. "The same thing happening to Madarame should allow us to access Tsuda this time."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we're targeting two different people again?" Ann checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Three or more if you or Yusuke got other tips," Ren replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well we could help out that mother..." Ann suggested. "The one with the-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I already told you, we're not doing that one," Ren coldly interrupted.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Why not, hee-ho?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren didn't respond. "Ren...?" Morgana whimpered as his ears drooped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Let's just get going," Ren muttered slightly as he stood up, his glasses hiding his tear-brimmed eyes.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Some time later, the team had arrived in Mementos in search of their targets. Sure there were a few stray Shadows they fought along the way, but those were easily dealt with by Morgana slamming into them while in bus mode. Eventually they reached the very end of the area, where they found their first target.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's Shimizu's Shadow," Ren said, taking out his gun.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She really seems like a sadist," Ryuji commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She's calling someone her slave and ordering him around, right?" Morgana checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In a way, she's denying his existence," Yusuke informed. "I certainly wouldn't want to be a victim of that."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Let's go talk to her," Ann decided.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But when the team approached this particular Shadow self, she was clearly hostile. "So you're the pigs who wrote that calling card online?" Shimizu spat out. "Why do I deserve this?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren aimed his gun at Shimizu. "Hikari Shimizu, we are the Phantom Thieves of Hearts," he ordered. "We order you to return to your real self and make amends for your past crimes. If you leave now, we can settle this without any bloodshed."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah! We're here 'cuz you made some guy your slave!" Ryuji shouted. "That's all kinds of wrong right there."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's what he wants!" Shimizu insisted. "He worships me more than any god, you know."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... I don't know where to begin to explain how you're wrong..." Ann spoke up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I beat him and I hurt him, and he sees it as a sign of our love and friendship!" Shimizu explained. "He's so happy!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You are so delusional," Yusuke scolded as she readied her katana.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, a red aura swirled around Shimizu. "I'm pretty, and my grades are good!" she insisted. "It's my right to order people around! I'll start by giving orders to you pigs! Lick my shoes, peasants!" She transformed into a purple-skinned woman wielding two blades. <b>"I'll never give up Moto! He belongs to me! Being my slave is what makes him happy!"</b></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Enough of this!" Ren shouted as he grasped onto his mask. "Arsene- AHHH!" Despite a bit of bleeding, Arsene was partially summoned. As a result, his dark energy blast barely scratched the Shadow's surface before retreating back into the mask.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Joker, are you okay?" Morgana checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not really," Ren admitted. "She kind of reminds me of-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Shimizu retaliated with a fury of blade swipes. While everyone else was able to withstand the attack, Ren was caught off guard and knocked out. But given that this is real life and NOT a video game, the team had to keep going without their leader.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Joker's down!" Morgana reported. "We'll have to fight without him!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm on it!" Ryuji replied. He took off his mask. "Whip 'em, Persona!" But instead of Captain Kidd, a monkey wearing a bright yellow cape and riding a black storm cloud materialized instead. "The hell?! What happened to my Persona?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait a minute..." Ann muttered. She took off her mask as well. "Persona!" In a flash of blue light, a horned woman carrying two dog heads on chains appeared. "Mine's different too!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I dunno what happened, but I can sense a weird burst of energy from you too," Pixie revealed while she tried to heal Ren.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It must be because of Joker!" Morgana guessed as he fired his slingshot at Shimizu. "I dunno what happened, but somehow he must have helped your Personas change into stronger forms."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"For real?!" Ryuji exclaimed. He smiled wide. "Can't wait to see how much damage he can dish out!" He pointed at the blade-wielding Shadow. "Seiten Taisei!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann joined in on the attack as well. "Hecate!" she exclaimed, allowing her to combine fire with electricity into a double-whammy attack.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shimizu was trapped in a spiral of flames and electrical bolts. When the spiral disappeared, not only were their noticeable burn marks on her body, but she was surrounded in an electrical aura, unable to get back up her feet. There was no doubt this was going to be an easy victory.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hit confirmed!" Morgana reported. "You got her weakness, Panther! Now let's take her down!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed was a flurry of rapid attacks, with Ren eventually getting back on his feet to join in with the others. But thanks to Ryuji and Ann's mega combo, Shimizu was quickly defeated and returned back into her original form. But just like Mika, this wasn't the end of it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, no, no... No!" Shimizu cried out. "I don't want to lose him! He's mine! All mine!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why don't you ask him?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shimizu was surprised by that response. "Well, I-"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Why did you start treating him like that?" Ann wondered.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He... He just kept going along with it, so I misunderstood and thought I could do anything I wanted..." Shimizu revealed. "Actually, I...wanted to be more than friends with him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What does that mean, hee-ho?" Jack Frost asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think she means she wanted a boyfriend," Pixie interpreted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shimizu nodded in response. "I had a crush on him, but then I got possessive," she continued. "Those feelings went out of control..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then why don't you tell him that?" Ren suggested. "You should be able to patch things up with him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And don't make things worse for yourself than they already are," Ann added.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With another quick nod, Shimizu vanished, leaving a whip sword behind. "Ah, the treasure has shown itself!" Morgana purred. He tackled the sword and started nuzzling it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, the ground shook. Looking up ahead, the team noticed a once-dead end open up, revealing a new passageway into a deeper level.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whoa, we did it!" Ryuji exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"This is because we changed Madarame's heart, right?" Ann checked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It has to be," Ren assumed. "Mona, can you sense Tsuda in the next level?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">Morgana walked over to the entranceway and squinted. "Not yet," he reported. "We might need to venture even deeper first."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?!" Ryuji shouted. "But we gotta help Iwai!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"We might need one more big target first," Morgana suspected.</p><p class="p2">"Oh... I can't wait that long!" Ryuji groaned. "I'm goin' in!" With that, he charged into the new level, much to his teammates' dismay.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Morgana, Yusuke, and Ann tried to catch up to Ryuji, Ren was about to join in when a flash of white caught his eye. Turning around, he noticed a certain someone was watching the battle.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hello, Mister Amamiya," Jose said. "It's been a long since we last met."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who are you, hee-ho?" Jack Frost asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is Jose," Ren explained. "The last time I met him, I agreed to help him collect flowers."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, that reminds me!" Pixie exclaimed. She took out a tan sack. "Here you go. Here's three battles worth of flowers!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you, Pixie," Jose replied as he accepted the flowers. "I must say, your new friend is interesting, Mister Amamiya. Who is that girl with the blue braid?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She goes by the code name Chrysalis," Ren answered. "We met her during the most recent Palace infiltration."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She's pretty," Jose complimented. He took out one of the flowers from the sack, which turned into a drink. After a sip, he was pleased with the results. "Just like this flower. You made a good call inviting her to your team."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That wasn't my intention, though," Ren explained. "I only invited her into the Metaverse to help her realize the nature of her surrogate father. It was her decision to rebel that unlocked her Persona."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see," Jose said. He took another sip. "I can taste sadness, too. She must have had a terrible life."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"From what she told us, I would have to agree," Ren said. "Maybe there's something I can do to help her out..."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0084"><h2>84. A Cry for Help</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Something peculiar is going on in Shujin Academy...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That evening, after catching up to Ryuji and dragging him out of Mementos, Ren parted ways with his friends and headed back to LeBlanc. When he came back to the cafe, Sojiro was watching a news report. Walking over to the TV, the dark-haired teen noticed a certain someone was being interviewed. But not just anyone. It was a woman with a long black ponytail.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Mom...?" Ren muttered, deciding to watch the interview.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you for joining us, Mrs. Amamiya," the news reporter said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's my pleasure," Keiko replied. "After witnessing Madarame's press conference, I couldn't stay silent."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah yes, I heard you were a fan of his artwork," the news reporter recalled. "How do you feel about the plagiarism?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If I have to be honest, I suspected something felt off about Sayuri," Keiko admitted. "I follow Madarame's work since his beginnings. He started off painting pictures of hands. In fact, my husband and I won one of those paintings in an auction. But ever since Sayuri was released, Madarame's signature style drastically changed. While everyone else dismissed it as an experimental phase, I was still somewhat suspicious. I'm just glad those suspicions proved to be true."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about that original painting you still have?" the news reporter asked. "Now that Madarame has been exposed as a fraud, I'm certain it's now useless."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"At first, I wanted to burn it on impulse," Keiko answered. "But after my dear husband prevented me from doing something so irrational, he reminded me that the public is unaware of Madarame's pre-Sayuri paintings. If I had demolish it, a piece of history would have been lost. Therefore, I have decided to keep it hanging at my home for now. After all, now that Madarame has realized the error of his ways, he can gradually work to redeem himself and go back to painting pictures of hands."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's an interesting perspective," the news reporter complimented. "Now I don't mean to go off-topic, but can you tell us about your new fundraiser?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Certainly," Keiko replied. "As you all know, tragedy struck for my family back in March. Since then, I decided to create a special promotion for my hair salon business. Returning customers and newcomers can donate money to help free wrongfully-accused people. For every donation, you will receive a sample basket of assorted Beauty's Delight products."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That news surprised Ren. That's what his mom's fundraiser was for? To help people who were falsely accused?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Like him?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sojiro chuckled lightly. "Looks like things haven't changed," he commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you mean, sir?" Ren questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh right, I haven't really told you," Sojiro realized. "I actually knew your father back in college. We were roommates."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That news surprised Ren. "I thought my parents knew a customer who came here," he recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's partially true," Sojiro admitted. "I was originally one of several recommendations for who would watch over you. When my name was mentioned, your father was quick to say 'yes'. He figured it would be best if you were under the care of a familiar name rather than a stranger."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's probably because my parents are a bit overprotective of me," Ren guessed, feeling glad knowing Sojiro had closer connections to his parents.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, on the way to school, Ren listened to today's train news.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Calling card at Madarame's exhibit! The police are evaluating whether this is a true threat or a prank."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Scan outbreak in Shibuya! Students, especially girls, are the primary victims. Organized crime is suspected here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Students are getting scammed?" Morgana asked, his head peaking out from Ren's bag. "That's scary. You should be careful when you go to Shibuya."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As soon as Ren arrived at school, he noticed there were a few students near the announcement board. Curious, he decided to listen in on their conversation.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...What's this? A request to the student body?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It says they're looking for information. I heard Principal Kobayakawa put it up."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please consult the student council president if you have any details."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we can go to her for anything? Why the student council president though? What does she have to do with Principal Kobayakawa?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I mean, Nijima-san is his favorite. Maybe that's why he asked her to do it."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That afternoon, while Ren was in class, he received a surprise text from Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Our name did spread a bit thanks to Madarame. But I bet people still wouldn't care if we came out and said we're the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm not so sure. What if the police arrested us for doing that?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Well duh! You really wanna go flashing your name everywhere when people are getting suspicious?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You have a good point, Pixie. Plus I doubt anyone would believe us. What good would come of telling people our identities?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Maybe they'd at least start treating us with some respect.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Well, I can understand why you feel that way...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I thought talking about the Metaverse was a big no-no, hee-ho. Why talk about it now?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That's just how things are now. But if we keep doing stuff like this, that will definitely change.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We simply need to devote ourselves to the cause. Our praise will come later.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What she said! I'm sure some people out there will understand.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Ugh. I guess we just gotta act like modest heroes for now.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It won't be that bad, Ryuji. Besides, it's better to just keep a low profile. I don't want this phantom thief stuff to jeopardize my probation.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You sure think about that a lot.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It's what brought me to Tokyo in the first place. As long as I stay quiet and keep a low profile, nothing will go wrong.</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"President... What is the meaning of that posting?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What posting...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The announcement inquiring information. We've already received some anonymous information. 'I heard some students are getting threatened. I'm so scared. Please do something.'"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"'They have dirt on me, and they're demanding money. I can't go to the police. What should I do?' Isn't this talking about the crimes that have been rumored to be occurring in Shibuya?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So there are even victims at our school... What should we do?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"President...?"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...I'm fine. Just thinking about my studies."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You should also think about these crimes. This isn't the responsibility of the student council. This is frightening for us too. Principal Kobayakawa called you in yesterday, right? Did he tell you anything about this?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, no... He's out today, but I will ask him tomorrow. Please wait on this for the time being."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you say so..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My apologies for the confusion. Don't worry. I'll do something to fix everything."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0085"><h2>85. The Usual Customer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aka: How to give the floof more screentime.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Not much happened after school. But in a surprise change in formula, Ren decided to stop by Beauty's Delight. He was kind of curious about the fundraiser his mom talked about on the news, so it didn't hurt to stop in. Besides, maybe he could check out the business while he was at it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">So after a while, Ren was able to find the hair salon's location. He remembered it was right next to Big Bang Burger, which was a bit unusual given the two completely different businesses. But with that thought pushed aside, he entered Beauty's Delight.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Upon stepping inside, one could easily tell Beauty's Delight was no ordinary hair salon. The interior was pastel-colored, giving off a cheerful vibe. There was also a display case showing the various products that were on sale. But the biggest difference was the entire atmosphere. From what Ren could see, customers who were getting their hair done didn't get straightened. Instead, they were getting their hair sprayed with a special substance to help keep their curls in place.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The employee at the front noticed Ren walk in. "Welcome to Beauty's Delight," she greeted. "How may I help you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wanted to learn more about the fundraiser," Ren answered. "I saw it on the news last night and I was kind of curious."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Certainly!" the employee happily replied. "Ever since April, our wonderful CEO and founder wanted to help out people who were wrongly accused of committing crimes. The money you donate will help free these people and help them readjust back into a normal life. But that's not all. For every yen you donate, you receive a gift basket containing various Beauty's Delight products."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Ren said. He headed for the door. "That's all I wanted-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hold on a minute," the employee interrupted. "You look like you could use a makeover."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you, but I'll pass," Ren declined, knowing that while his mom's business was popular, it was also expensive. "I don't have enough money on me for-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's okay. I'll pay for you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice sounded a bit familiar. Turning around, Ren noticed a certain curly-haired girl had walk in. It was the same girl he talked to during the cleanup, the one who gave him that shampoo sample.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She's right," the curly-haired girl insisted. "This is a wonderful salon. You should give it a try."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No really, I don't need it-" Ren started to say, but he soon found himself getting dragged in further by another employee.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How could you say that when your hair looks terrible?" the second employee asked. "You could use a bit of pampering."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing he didn't have any other choice, Ren let out a defeated sigh. "Fine..." he grumbled. "I'll just have a wash."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Growing up, Ren always stood out a bit. While he did have his issues regarding his sexuality, there was also a problem that stood out since childhood: his hair. Unlike other kids in elementary school, his hair was always a frizzy, unkempt mess of curls. It wasn't his fault. His mom has the same type of hair. But while she always kept hers straightened, he preferred keeping it natural. Unfortunately, having a bird's nest on his head made him stand out in a bad way. A lot of kids outright noticed his hair and frequently told him how weird he looked. It didn't help that having straight black hair was considered the norm in Japan.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But managing this frizzy mess was always easy. Thanks to his mom graduating college with a chemistry degree, Ren had free access to the hair products she made. Unfortunately, ever since the probation, he no longer had easy access to those same products. Instead, he started resorting to the free shampoo available at the bathhouse, which didn't do much. It only made his hair more knotted than usual.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">So despite his initial hesitation, Ren actually enjoyed getting his hair washed at Beauty's Delight. But that wasn't all they did. After the wash, he received a slight, barely noticeable trim (mostly to help him see) and a quick blow dry. Once it was finished, Ren couldn't help but admit they did a nice job. He decided to thank the curly-haired girl for paying for him. And sure enough, she was still there, looking at the various beauty products on sale.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh! Hello there," the curly-haired girl greeted. "Did you enjoy the treatment?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I did," Ren answered. "Thank you..." His voice trailed off upon realizing he never got her name.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just call me Haru," the curly-haired girl said. "And you're the transfer student. Is that correct?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response. "So you heard about those rumors."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I have," Haru confirmed. "But you seem nothing like what the other students say. You seem like such a nice person."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that why you approached me during the cleanup?" Ren wondered. "You weren't bothered by the rumors?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course not," Haru insisted. "I didn't see a supposed weird delinquent at Inokashira Park. I saw a boy who needed proper hair care. Luckily I'm a frequent customer, so I always carry emergency shampoo packets just in case." She picked up a shampoo bottle. "If you like, I can pick up an extra bottle for you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Really?" Ren asked, sounding somewhat relieved. "Thank you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Haru giggled in response. "My pleasure," she replied. "...So, what's your name?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You can call me Ren," the dark-haired teen answered, knowing his last name would be a dead giveaway for who he really is.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay," Haru said. "It's nice to properly meet you, Ren-kun."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, Ren came to school feeling happier than before. Aside from now having proper access to his mom's shampoo, he also made a new friend with Haru. However, when he offered to exchange contact information, she turned it down, clearly looking bothered by something. Apparently it was because of personal issues, but she told him that she does gardening at school and they can meet up on the rooftop once classes are done.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">So while Ren was wondering when he would see Haru again, he couldn't help but overhear a conversation between two nearby girls.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, that calling card sent to the Madarame exhibit. Do you think...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, I think it's just like the one sent to Kamoshida. People online are saying the Phantom Thieves of Hearts are behind this. There's already a Phan-Site with a bunch of requests posted on it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't believe there are real-life superheroes. If it has happened twice, it's probably going to happen again. Can't wait to see who's next."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Later that day, during lunchtime, Ann was picking up a soda from a vending machine when she overheard a loud discussion between two nearby girls.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sounds like the principal's trying to get info on the students. Why do you think he's doing that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's probably because of Mr. Kamoshida, right? Considering what happened with Suzui-san. I heard Principal Kobayakawa knew about the sexual harassment too and just turned a blind eye to it. I bet he wants to snuff out any rumors now. Even the volleyball team was told to keep quiet."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's the worst! So that's what he's using Nijima-senpai for?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh yeah, rumor has it she knew as well. Isn't that horrible? She acts all noble about it too."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nijima-senpai knew...?" Ann muttered under he breath.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0086"><h2>86. Basic Stretching</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren continues to explore his friendship with Kasumi, while also looking forward to visiting the National Diet.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm surprised with your actions from yesterday. Why would you post something without my permission?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I...can't really say."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then it's probably not that important. So did any information arise about the case I asked you to look into?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nothing yet. I will pass the details along if anything comes up. Right now, there is a more pressing issue. It appears there are students at Shujin who are being threatened by a criminal organization. A student who saw my posting came to us looking for help. I came here to request a countermeasure."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Isn't this some sort of mistake? I can't believe this would happen to the students of our academy."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Me neither..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now is no time for such problems. There is still lingering concern regarding these phantom thieves."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But...we received a request for help."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm rather busy at the moment. If you wish to do something, you will need to act on your own."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Sir! A-Are you sure about this? I-I'm still investigating your case as well."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, that's correct. It works out perfectly. My intentions have borne fruit. This criminal organization must be the connecting factor. If you peruse this criminal issue, you'll surely find clues about the Phantom Thieves of Hearts."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"But...that's absurd!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So, let's say this rumor is true. Do you intend to ignore those students in trouble?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"N-No, but-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Your sister would have solved this easily if she were in your position. My expectations of you are very high. I hope you don't disappoint."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, sir."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's more like it. Now keep doing what you've always done. Be a good girl and do as you're told."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Of course."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">That afternoon, Ren and the others were having a typical text discussion about their next big target...during class.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So, what kinda person would be a bigger target than Madarame?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hmmm... I wonder... I guess it'd have to be someone who's the talk of the town?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That's quite a vague prerequisite. Don't we have any more specific ideas?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, an idea popped into his head. He was going to the National Diet tomorrow for his school trip. What if...?</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What about a crooked politician?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Ah, yes. That is an interesting line of thought.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Weren't you going to some politician building tomorrow, hee-ho?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, the National Diet. I was thinking about trying to pick up some intel there.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Whoa! Who'd have thought your love of politics paid off?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">And you guys mocked him for not choosing the TV station!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I supposed we'll leave the rest to you, Ren.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'll check the TV station with Ryuji.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, there's gotta be a big target just lying around for us.</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">Once classes were done for the day, Ren decided to head back to LeBlanc for some much-needed work. However, a surprise text from a certain someone changed his mind.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">KASUMI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Amamiya-senpai, do you have time today? I was thinking I need to make good on our deal. No time like the present, right? We can start hammering in those basics into you anytime!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Feeling more comfortable hanging out with Kasumi, Ren didn't think twice about his response.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sounds like a plan. I'm in.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">KASUMI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Thank you! Then how about we meet in Inokashira Park?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Okay.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While waiting for a response, Ren noticed there was a slight lag. About a minute had passed until Kasumi finally responded.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">KASUMI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sorry, I never know when this phone is actually working. Anyway, Inokashira Park, then. I'll see you there!</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">Turns out stretching wasn't as easy as Ren initially thought. With all the different poses Kasumi could bend into, the dark-haired teen had a hard time keeping up with her. Half the time he wondered how her body became this flexible.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not bad, Amamiya-senpai," Kasumi complimented once the two were done. "You're pretty flexible, and you catch on so fast. At this rate, you'll have the fundamentals down in a heartbeat."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you say so..." Ren muttered while he rubbed his sore shoulder. His body was aching from trying to mimic Kasumi's poses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's all about the harmony between the internal and external oblique muscles," Kasumi explained. She let out an excited squeal through her teeth. "I can't get enough of it!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But we're just getting started," Ren pointed out. "Can't you go easy on me?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But I am," Kasumi revealed. "My coach's training is ten times harder than this, after all. Expert-level gymnastics are beautiful, but they demand a lot of stretching. I'll keep supporting you, so we'll keep at it together!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After a few more stretches, the two sat down at a nearby bench. Yet while Ren still felt sore, Kasumi felt perfectly fine.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think that's enough stretching for now," the redhead teen said. "Good effort, Amamiya-senpai! And, um... I'd like to continue with our training, but..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What is it?" Ren asked, sounding concerned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm actually not doing so great at the moment, so I'm not sure I could manage anything too strenuous," Kasumi admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Next time, then," Ren decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kasumi smiled as she let out a soft sigh. "Thank you for understanding," she said. "Do you remember how I said I wanted to talk to you about something?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I believe so," Ren replied. "Is something bothering you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I've been feeling like...I'm stuck in this slump," Kasumi revealed. "No matter how much I practice, I just can't get any better. I went to my coach about it, but she told me to take some time off from gymnastics. According to her, I need to think about who I really am. The idea's not to stop doing gymnastics, just...she wants me to take a break."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you okay with this?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not really..." Kasumi sighed in response. "I've never had an issue that practice couldn't solve. But now...I have no idea what to do. So, um... I want you to help me, Amamiya-senpai. Even if we're not doing gymnastics, will you still keep going out with me?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That choice of wording confused Ren. "You don't mean romantically, right?" he checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course not!" Kasumi blurted out, her face devoid of any pink tinge. "We're both gay, remember? I only see you as a friend." She paused to clear her throat, feeling embarrassed about that sudden outburst. "I've heard my coach praising me. She told me my greatest weapon has always been my boldness. And honestly, that used to be true. I was totally fearless, confident... Gymnastics was a fun challenge, especially with my girlfriend cheering me on. But ever since I started high school, I've been in a slump. I got taller, for one, and there were some other...complications."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Aside from Kamoshida forcing you to hook up with gay guys?" Ren recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not quite..." Kasumi clarified. "I can't move how I want anymore. Like it's not even my own body. I kind of fell into a depression. It got pretty bad. But when we met up in Shibuya, something occurred to me. I'm not the only people going through personal troubles. When I saw you have that panic attack, I thought about how much I wanted to help calm you down. If we stick together, Amamiya-senpai, I think we can help each other become more confident."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Then let's give it a try," Ren agreed.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Great! Thank you!" Kasumi exclaimed. She giggled as she playfully nudged Ren's shoulder. "You're a strange one, Amamiya-senpai. I didn't think you'd accept. Well, I'll try and return the favor through our deal!" Suddenly, a weird chime came from her phone. "Oh, excuse me." She checked her phone. "I should get going. I have a meeting with my coach. I need to get going for today, but I'll make sure you don't regret this!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">That evening, after Ren headed back to LeBlanc, he started packing his bag for the bathhouse. But before he left the cafe, Ryuji started texting in the group chat.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I was thinking 'bout what I said earlier today. Y'know, about finding a target at the TV station.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We're always hearing gossip about the dark sides of celebrities.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">With that much money, they've prolly got their fingers in all sorts of dirty business.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hm... That phrase has quite the immoral right to it.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You always react to the weirdest stuff...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Anyway, we get to observe a live recording of a show, right?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Ooh, maybe we're gonna be on TV!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We'll just be in the crowd, remember? Any TV appearance would be for like, two seconds.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Have fun, you two.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Try not to pull any fanciful stunts to garner attention, okay?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sounds like you'll be missing out on a fun trip," Morgana noticed. "You sure you made the right decision?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Learning about political history is fun," Ren insisted. "I'm actually wondering who the guest speaker is-" But then a call from his phone interrupted him. He answered it. "Hello?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hi Amamiya-kun, it's Ms. Kawakami," a familiar voice said. "I'm calling to inform you there's been a change in plans."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What happened?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Mr. Ushimaru, the teacher advisor for tomorrow's school trip, just found out the National Diet is currently closed from the public," Ms. Kawakami revealed. "Apparently the councilmen are discussing matters regarding this year's election, so they don't want to deal with visitors."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?!" Ren yelped, nearly dropping his phone in shock. "What about tomorrow?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're coming to the TV station," Ms. Kawakami explained. "It helps that most students in your grade wanted to go there, anyway. I'm sorry for the sudden change in schedule."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No...it's fine," Ren sighed, feeling a bit disappointed. "I'll manage."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you for understanding," Ms. Kawakami said. "I look forward to seeing you tomorrow."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Ren hung up, he felt absolute frustration. "Is something wrong?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Change of plans," Ren explained. "Looks like I'm stuck going to the TV station after all."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0087"><h2>87. Diet or Bust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren goes to the TV station...much to his disappointment.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The TV station was absolutely boring.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Instead of actually doing things, everyone was required to stand around while one of the employees talked about how TV production works. But given how this wasn't the social studies trip Ren had in mind, he was...well...bored.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...And that's why we recruit sponsors to help make TV shows," the PR woman said. "I'm sure you know about commercial breaks? Well, those are actually sponsor-related product placements. To sum things up, rating are vitally important for a station's production funding, and..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh..." Ryuji muttered. He shot a quick glance at Ren, who was randomly scrolling through his phone. "He ain't even listenin'..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"For example, soap opera reruns are shown in the day, whereas alluring news women are broadcast at night," the PR woman continued. "Thus, the scheduling department is where we decide what time we broadcast which program. I suppose you could say it's the place where the scheduling is determined."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann sighed. "Could this get any more obvious?" she asked Ren. But she noticed he was on his phone. "Wow... He's not even listening to what I said."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So, the best parts are taken from the footage in order to cut down the program to the desired length," the PR woman continued. "The place where this filmed footage is edited would be the editing room."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren let out a small yawn. "This is boring..." he muttered, switching over to the messenger app.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Sorry about your trip getting canceled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Wait, we're not at the diet thingy? So that's why I hear Ryuji and Ann, hee-ho!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Weren't you paying attention? Apparently some big election stuff meant they wouldn't allow visitors.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span><span class="s1">Oh yeah, hee-ho! </span> <span class="s2">😅</span> <span class="s1"> I completely forgot!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shoulda gone for the instant ramen factory..." Ryuji groaned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, a newscaster stormed in. "What's going on?" he demanded. "I can't stand all this noise!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"M-My apologies!" the PR woman stammered. "I'll have them leave right away!" She looked back at the students. "Now then, it's time for a bit of hands-on experience."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, the students went off in their own directions. But as for Ren and Ryuji, they mostly stuck around, not knowing what to do. They were both bored, but Ren was both bored and annoying.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I would have probably heard the guest lecture by now..." Ren complained, thinking about his original plans.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, no kidding," Ryuji agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ms. Kawakami, who overheard the two, walked over. "I understand you're both bored, but don't cause any trouble," she advised. "Okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, a cameraman walked over. "Excuse me, we need people who can keep the camera cables from getting tangled up," he informed. "Will you two care to assist?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?!" Ryuji yelped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren sighed. "Fine..." he muttered. It wasn't like he had anything else better to do.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Meanwhile, Ann had found herself in a hallway looking at one of the control rooms. That was when she had an unusual encounter with an unfamiliar man.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, look at you!" the approaching man exclaimed. "Do you wanna be a star? You've got a perfect body, so firm and tight!"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... I'm on a school trip..." Ann declined.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Feel free to call me any time," the approaching man insisted. "Day or night, I'll always take your call."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uhhh, yeah..." Ann muttered as she reluctantly accepted a pamphlet. Maybe she should tell Mishima about this...</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Some time later, Ren, Ryuji, and Ann met up in a hallway to discuss their respected events. Between Ren still feeling bummed about not going to the National Diet, Ann's unfortunate encounter with whom she assumed was a talent agent, and Ryuji's overall annoyance with the experience, all three teens weren't in a good mood.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm so pissed off!" Ryuji yelled as he slammed his arm into the wall. "Aren't we supposed to be guests?! Why the hell do we hafta be doin' manual labor?! This is bullshit! Goin' to the bathroom didn't even make me feel better!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I get how you feel," Ann agreed, looking at the pamphlet. "This guy in a pink sweater tried to sign me up for a talent agency. I was a bit weirded out by his behavior. You think Mishima should know about it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji looked around. "Hey, where'd he go?" he wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Probably exploring, I guess," Ren assumed.</span>
</p><hr/>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I DIDN'T DO IT!!!!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What? Do what?"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So Ren, you're here because the National Diet wasn't open to the public?" Ann checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Unfortunately, yes," Ren sighed. "I still can't believe that actually happened. I was looking forward to the guest lecture."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well that's rough," Ryuji commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That reminds me, we get to go home straight from here today," Ann remembered. "We don't spend much time in this area, so why don't we relax and check out some shops beforehand?"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ooh, I know a place!" Morgana squealed. "I wanna go to that huge pancake-looking place we passed on the way here! It looked delicious! What was that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wha- Pancake...?" Ryuji repeated. It took him a few seconds to think about the place. "Ohhh... You mean Dome Town! The round part is a baseball stadium, then along the outside they've got an amusement park."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's right in the middle of a business area, but they have some pretty hardcore rides there too," Ann chimed in.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right... Let's go!" Morgana decided. "I'll show you just how courageous I am!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But do they allow pets?" Ren wondered. "If not, that means you'll probably be stuck in my bag during the entire time."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Really?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Really," Ryuji agreed. "The bag might be a good place to sneak you in, but you'd totally puke if you did that. But uh... Let's go to Dome Town! I'm really feelin' it now!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Me too!" Ann cheered. "My stomach's ready for roller coasters!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I never went on a roller coaster before," Ren admitted. "Is it fun?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, absolutely!" Ryuji answered. "You gotta try it out once we get there!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uhhh... I think I'll pass on the puke rides..." Morgana whimpered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before the group could leave, they were approached by a certain someone.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice your uniforms," Akechi said. "Are you students of Shujin Academy?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's eyes widened. "Akechi!" he exclaimed. It took him a few seconds to calm down. "Y-Yeah... We are."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Akechi looked over at Ren. "That hair..." he noted. "You're the barista from LeBlanc. Ren Amamiya, if I remember correctly. I wanted to thank you for the coffee last time. Are these friends of yours?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response. "This is Ryuji Sakamoto and Ann Takamaki," he said. He looked back at his friends. "Ryuji, Ann... This is the food blogger I told you about."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So...whaddya want?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I happened to be passing by, so it seemed polite to greet you," Akechi explained. "We'll be filming together, after all."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That confused Ren. "I didn't know you were going to be on TV," he said. "Are you that famous?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Akechi let out a polite laugh. "Only to the extent of appearing on TV a couple of times," he admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That only confused Ren even further. According to Maruki, Akechi was only famous among foodies. Why would a simple food blog land him on TV for a few times?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Akechi checked his phone. "My apologies, I truly was just passing by," he repeated. "I must be going. There's a briefing for tomorrow's recording that I have to attend. So, you're going to go have cake now? I missed lunch today, so I'm quite hungry myself."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh? Cake?" Ryuji asked. "What're you talkin' about?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, am I mistaken?" Akechi asked, looking in Ryuji's direction. "I thought I heard a gruff voice mention something about delicious pancakes. No matter. Welp, see you tomorrow."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once Akechi left, Ryuji was still baffled by what just happened. "Food blogger, huh?" he recalled. "Didn't think foodies were that famous. He's never gonna get popular with that kinda hair though."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"His hair looks soft," Ren blurted out. His eyes widened upon realizing what he just said. "W-Wait, that came out wrong!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann giggled at Ren's embarrassment. "So that's who your crush is," she said. "Not a bad choice."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, it's fine," Ryuji agreed. "You'll see him again tomorrow anyways. C'mon, let's go to Dome Town!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the teens left the hallway, Morgana was starting to regret his initial offer. "H-Hey, can we skip the vomit machines and get cake instead?" he whimpered.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0088"><h2>88. You Can't Fight Fate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Justice Rank 1</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The second day of the school trip was the same as yesterday, which was a huge bore for Ren. But this time, he had something to look forward to: the broadcast taping. All he could think about was why a food blogger like Akechi would get interviewed for a talk show. What would he even talk about? Is it part of a cooking segment? The questions bothered him throughout the day.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Eventually it was time for the broadcast. As various employees got everything set up, Ren noticed a lot of girls in the audience were getting a little too excited. Luckily for him, his questions were about to be answered in a few seconds.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And now, onto the Hottest Meet-and-Greet segment of our show," the female announcer said. "After his last appearance was so well-received, we decided to bring back a familiar face."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A young man whose exploits captured the nation," the male announcer said. "The high school detective with countless cases under his belt. Let's welcome back Goro Akechi!"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Akechi walked onto the set and sat next to the hosts, Ren let out a slight choking sound. Detective? Didn't Maruki say he had a food blog? Yet despite this shock, that explained why he was enthusiastic about fictional detectives when they first met.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hello there," Akechi greeted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you for taking the time to join us today, Akechi-kun," the male annnouncer said. "Your popularity is stunning."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Even I found it to be quite a surprise," Akechi admitted. "It is a bit embarrassing though."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Moving along, we've been told there's a case on your mind right now," the female announcer revealed. "Care to share, detective?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah, yes," Akechi replied. "That would be the scandal involving the master artist Madarame."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There it is!" the male announcer exclaimed. "All of this phantom thief excitement has caught your attention too, Akechi-kun! Allow me to be blunt for just a second. What do you think of these justice-oriented phantom thieves?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If they truly are heroes of justice, I sincerely hope they exist," Akechi answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ohhh, so you don't deny the possibility that they're real?" the male announcer concluded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I may not seem like it, but I sometimes wish that Santa Claus actually existed," Akechi admitted with a playful smile. "Although if he did, I'd have to arrest him for breaking and entering."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While a lot of the girls laughed, Ren let out a snort as he smirked, resulting in an unamused glare from Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But hypothetically speaking, if these phantom thieves, are real..." Akechi continued. "I believe they should be tried in a court of law."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's quite the statement," the male announcer remarked. "Are they committing crimes? Some people even say that the thieves are actually helping their victims abandon their evil ways."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What the artist Madarame did truly was an unforgivable crime," Akechi clarified.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"However, they are taking the law into their own hands by judging him. It is far from justice. More importantly, you should never forcefully change a person's heart."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You have a point," the male announcer agreed. "These people are calling themselves the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, after all. Amazing as always, Akechi-kun! I could listen to you for days! You have the most radiant charisma!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I have to say though, I would be embarrassed if it turns out these phantom thieves don't exist," Akechi admitted. "If that were the case, I'd summarize it into a report as a school project."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now then, let's try asking some students the same age as Akechi-kun about the Phantom Thieves of Hearts!" the female announcer said. "First, please press your buttons now if you think they exist!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naturally, Ren, Ryuji, and Ann pressed their buttons. But it turned out they weren't the only ones who felt that way.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"About 30% or so," the male announcer revealed. "What are your thoughts, Akechi-kun?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm a bit surprised," Akechi answered. "That's higher than I was expecting. I'd love to hear some more detailed opinions on the phantom theives' actions."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The female announcer walked out into the audience. After a while, she approached Ren. "All right, let's try asking this student here," she decided, holding the microphone towards him. "Hypothetically speaking, what are your thoughts on these phantom thieves, if they were real?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Ren initially had a hard time getting the words out, he was able to utter a single sentence, one that would soon change his life forever.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think...they're justice."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Akechi felt time around him come to a standstill. He gasped slightly at the answer, his heart suddenly pounding in his chest. He heard that sentence on repeat while he heard <a href="https://twitter.com/kitaakes/status/1320574029519081472?s=12">trumpets blaring</a> in his mind. Was that...?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is anything wrong, Akechi-kun?" the male announcer asked, unintentionally snapping the brunette out of his daze.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course not," Akechi replied. "I was merely taken off guard by his words."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This completely goes against the opinion you had about them being tried by law, Akechi-kun," the male announcer remarked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Indeed," Akechi agreed. "It's rather intriguing to hear such a strong acknowledgement. In that case, there's one more question I'd like to ask. If someone close to you, for example, your friend next to you... If his heart suddenly changed, wouldn't you think it was the work of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts?"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not at all," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So...no doubts at all," Akechi commented. "However, there is a large problem in your reasoning. Whether the thieves' actions are good or not, I feel there is a more important issue at hand."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you mean?" the male announcer asked as his co-host sat next to him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The matter of how they change people's hearts," Akechi clarified. "If they honestly possess that ability, if could be used for more than extracting confessions. It could be that what seem to be ordinary crimes are actually being perpetrated by these methods."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You know, you're absolutely right," the male announcer agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, please don't misunderstand," Akechi dismissed. "This is all purely hypothetical. It is only if people who can use such a power truly exist. Either way though, this cannot be ignore. The existence of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts would be nothing but a threat to our everyday lives. To be honest, I'm already working alongside the police to help sort out this matter."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Catching a glimpse at Ryuji ready to stand up and throw fists, Ren grasped his shoulder and pushed him back into his chair, not wanting to cause a scene.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When the taping was over, it was time for the students to leave. "All right, class is dismissed," Ms. Kawakami announced. "Everyone head straight home...</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...especially you. You've caused enough trouble yesterday, Mishima-kun."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I didn't do anything!" Mishima shouted. "I was just observing like we were supposed to!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Meanwhile, the team was discussing what they saw during the broadcast. "It kinda seemed like what he was saying might be right..." Ann wonder, thinking about Akechi's words."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He made it sound like we're the baddies," Ryuji disagreed. "I don't like it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But that stuff about the police..." Ann recalled. "Do you think it's for real?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Ren remained silent, Morgana spoke up. "He can say whatever he wants," the not-cat dismissed. "The justice of it all is something we can decide for ourselves."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, sorry. I gotta go take a leak," Ryuji randomly blurted out. "Can you guys wait here? I'll be right back."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But as soon as Ryuji left, Ann had other plans in mind. "I'm gonna keep going, okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, Ren was left alone. However, this loneliness didn't last very long when a certain someone approached him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, it's you!" Akechi said. "I'm glad I found you. I wanted to thank you in person. To paraphrase Hegel, advancement cannot occur without both thesis and antithesis."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...?" Ren squeaked. He bit his inner cheek in an attempt hide any possible blush. How could he not? Akechi was standing right next to him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My apologies," Akechi laughed. "What I mean is that our discussion was quite meaningful. Few people around me are so willing to speak their minds as freely as you did earlier. Adults are only interested in using the young, while they simply do as the adults say. There are too many irresponsible people in these modern times. I can understand why you'd support the Phantom Thieves of Hearts." He paused. "It's possible that this group is just as you believe and they are truly acting with good intentions. Since they have special talents, I assume their hearts must be burning with a sense of justice and duty. But that justice is merely a façade concealing their lack of true strength. That's why I believe, if a truly powerful opponent were to corner them, they would flee without a second thought."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They wouldn't run," Ren disagreed. "They'd fight to the end."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh...?" Akechi muttered. He held out his hand. "You really are intriguing. I bet you'd make for a worthwhile debate partner on the subject. If it's all right with you, would you continue sharing your thoughts with me?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I'd love to!" Ren blurted out. He quickly grasped Akechi's hand for a firm handshake.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you, that's great news," Akechi replied. "I sense something in you that's quite different from other people. I guess you can call it my detective's intuition." He laughed once more. "Kidding, of course."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren, on the other hand, was in a daze. <em>"The detective Akechi has taken a liking to me..."</em> he thought to himself. <em>"What if he...?"</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah, yes," Akechi said as he abruptly pulled his hand away. "We should exchange contact info."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Right," Ren agreed. He took out his phone despite his hand shaking.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And, registered," Akechi confirmed. "Well, I hope we meet up sometime soon. I'll have to drop by your cafe again."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"O-Okay..." Ren muttered, shyly tucking his hair behind his ear.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once Akechi had left, Morgana peeked his head out of the bag. "A detective's intuition, huh?" the not-cat repeated. "We shouldn't underestimate that-" He quickly noticed Ren's expression. "...You're not listening, are you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Mmm-hmm..." Ren muttered, looking at the new contact on his phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ryuji ran over. "Sorry for takin' so long!" he apologized. "...Wait, was that Akechi talking to you? I can't stand that high an' mighty attitude! Just breathin' the same air as him makes me sick! C'mon, RenRen. Let's go."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Unfortunately, Ryuji was completely unaware of the dopey grin on Ren's face...</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">That Akechi bastard... Thinking about what he said is just pissing me off again!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">He clearly tried to discredit everything we're doing.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">And he just had to say it on live TV too!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Don't be so sour. There are, without a doubt, people we have saved. Those people could not have been saved if not for the heroics of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. I am living proof of that.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Awww, what a nice thing to say!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span>
  <span class="s2">😴</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">You okay, Jack Frost?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Oh, don't mind him. He kinda fell asleep.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Still...was what Akechi-kun said actually wrong? I feel like he had a point.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Why you gotta bring that up now?!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I mean, is it really okay to be doing this to people just because they're criminals? Doesn't it seem a little selfish?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">We are phantom thieves, Ann. I doubt everyone would forgive us for what we did to Madarame. Yet, I still decided that it was a necessary act.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Kamoshida too. We weren't gonna do shit to him through any kinda normal methods.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">That's true, but... What do you think, Ren? Are we being selfish?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Pfft! Good luck trying to get a response from him!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Is Ren feeling okay?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Dunno. As soon as he left the TV station, he headed straight to Kichijoji for clothes shopping. I can hear him saying something about 'trying to impress Akechi' or some kinda crap.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">You for real?! How could he still say that after what we heard?!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Beats me. You humans sure have crazy emotions.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I believe our best path forward is sticking to our justice, not that of the law. Shouldn't that be enough? And with the unanimous decision rule in place, I doubt we'll have our way.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Oh geez, shut up already!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I beg your pardon?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Not you, Yusuke. I can hear Ren talking to himself. I get it, lover boy! You're in love with Goro Akechi! You don't have to announce it to the entire store!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">You're right, Yusuke-chan. Sorry for bringing that up. And don't worry, I'm not thinking about quitting the phantom thieves or anything.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Just you watch, Akechi. Someday you're totally gonna see who was right!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Okay, let's stop talking about this for now.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0089"><h2>89. The Detective's Curse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With Akechi's influence, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts find themselves losing favor.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, Akechi fever had swept the nation. From the subway ride to school, Ren could only hear about the young detective. Most of the chatter came from female students who were blindly supporting what he said. Yet while the dark-haired teen didn't agree with those words, he couldn't help but fall for his charm. And he has his phone number now! Maybe he could ask him on a date...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Man, that detective from yesterday really pissed me off!" Ryuji shouted while he and Ren were in the courtyard during lunchtime. "We're some kinda threat?! Let's see him do it, then!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hm?" Ren muttered as he looked up from his phone. "You were saying something?"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If someone else could help 'em, we wouldn't be doin' stuff as you-know-what to start with!" Ryuji continued.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann walked over with a cup of boba tea. "You're being way too loud," she pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who cares?" Ryuji asked. "Everybody's talkin' about this stuff anyways. It'd just be more suspicious if we were whisperin'."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You guys are too laid back," Morgana noticed. "The police are getting involved, you know."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Akechi mentioned he was working with the police," Ren recalled. "I wonder why he brought it up. Maybe it was all to try and gain the people's favor."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you think it's true?" Ann wondered. "We'll be okay if we keep doing this...right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We can't let the cops scare us outta doin' our jobs," Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's no going back now," Ren admitted. "Not after everything we've been through. We're the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, after all."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"But...what about that weird guy from Madarame's Palace?" Ann asked. "Isn't there a lot we don't know?"</p><p class="p2">But before Ren could respond, he was interrupted with a bright flash and a loud click. Upon turning around, the team realized someone was spying on them.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You three seem to be having so much fun," Makoto remarked. "I'm a little jealous."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you snoopin' on us again?" Ryuji assumed, thinking back their encounter in Kichijoji. "We said before, we don't know nothin'."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why do you think I'm here to question you?" Makoto asked. "Could it be that you're hiding something? My ears are always open to the troubles of my peers, you know."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh really?" Ann spat out. "Not that it matters."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's that supposed to mean?" Makoto wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're student council president, right?" Ann asked in response. "Wouldn't you have known about Kamoshida?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course not," Makoto responded. "From what I heard, he was a good teacher until that day."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, but you always take the teacher's side," Ann coldly dismissed. "That's what a good council president does."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then...how about you?" Makoto questioned. "What did you do for your friend? You were much closer to her than I was, so how did you help?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann was quick to respond. "There wasn't any way to help!" she shouted. "By myself...I couldn't do anything for her! But then, I had somebody there to stand beside me! And in the end, I told the truth! I looked him in the eye...and I told him exactly how I felt! Was that wrong of me?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Makoto was taken back by those words, unable to answer.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's the same feeling that you have," Ren spoke up. "The need to help someone."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"And it's important," Ryuji added. "Ya have to stand by what you believe."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Makoto frowned slightly. "...Just make sure you show up to your classes, all right?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly. She turned around and left without another word.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You know what I asked earlier about whether we'll be okay if we keep this up?" Ann recapped. "I take it back. It's like what Ren said. There's no turning back. I'd be ashamed to let it end now."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hell yeah," Ryuji agreed. "It's about time we find our next target too."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll still try to find a good source," Ren decided. "Maybe there's someone I can ask for help."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Meanwhile, Makoto was thinking back to what the group said. "Stand by what you believe, huh?" she muttered.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If only I could..."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Later that day, Ren, Ryuji, and Ann met up with Yusuke at Shibuya Station. "Comments are coming in at an alarming rate," the bluenette remarked. "However, negative ones seem to be more prominent."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's prolly 'cause of Akechi," Ryuji assumed. "TV's got some crazy sway."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He's free to deny our actions, but being cursed by his influence is another thing entirely," Yusuke pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just when we were starting to get people to believe in us too..." Ann sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't think that's the case," Ren suspected. "Most of the girls at school said they only agree with Akechi because he was the one who said it. They're willing to blindly follow him because he's handsome." He heard a notification beep from his phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Says the guy who keeps scrolling through his food blog.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren blushed in response. "I-It's not what you think!" he stammered. "Sure he's charming, but I'm not on his side!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You were right, Ryuji," Yusuke spoke up. "Ren truly is infatuated with Akechi."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Can we stop talking about my love life?" Ren asked, feeling embarrassed. "We should really focus on helping others."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All we gotta do is take down another hot shot, yeah?" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, do you have any ideas who this next 'hot shot' could be?" Yusuke wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think I might have a lead," Ren replied. "I have been doing volunteer work helping a former councilman every Sunday night. I could try to get some information regarding any crooked politicians."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What, you think you might get some information from Yoshida?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think so," Ren answered. "It might be someone connected to the Kuramoto Children. I'll try to get some information tomorrow."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"You already thought ahead?" Ryuji asked, amazed. "That's some smart thinking, RenRen! We'll get our next big target in no time!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"By the way, it's probably none of my business..." Ann said, noticing Yusuke's bags. "But what's the luggage for?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, I decided to leave the school dorms," Yusuke explained. "They were not only filthy, but too noisy as well. No true art could come from such a place."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What're you gonna do then?" Ryuji wondered. "You can't go back to that shack, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was planning on staying at Ann's house," Yusuke decided. "She agreed to teach me how to dress like a woman, so it would be all the more convenient. I've even prepared a thank-you gift. I hope it's to your parents' liking."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?!" Ann blurted out. "There's no way you're gonna live at my place!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Impossible..." Yusuke gasped. "I had already spent everything I had on these delectable Japanese sweets..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not the issue here!" Ann corrected.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why don't you stay at my place?" Ren offered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't you live at a cafe?" Ann pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not by choice," Ren explained. "Sojiro wouldn't let me stay has his place. He never explained why."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Where exactly is this cafe?" Yusuke questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In Yongen," Ren answered. "It's not too far from here. Just a minute walk from the station."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"How about we go there now?" Ann suggested. "We can have a party to celebrate Madarame's change of heart."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ooh, good idea!" Ryuji agreed. "We can make it a welcome party for Yusuke too!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I like the sound of that," Ren said with a smile.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A welcome party... That sounds fun," Morgana complimented.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sure, I'm game.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yay! Let's celebrate, hee-ho!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right, it's decided!" Ann cheered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the team headed for LeBlanc, Yusuke walked over to Ren. "Sorry to cause you trouble," she apologized. "By the way... I prefer sleeping on a futon."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh, sure..." Ren muttered. Did Sojiro even have a futon?</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>But what exactly is going on with Makoto Nijima?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0090"><h2>90. A Welcome Party at LeBlanc</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A delicious meal is a good way to welcome a new phantom thief.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, the team had arrived at LeBlanc. While Ryuji and Ann already came here for study sessions, Yusuke was in awe over the atmosphere.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah, what a nice smell," Ann complimented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Feels great comin' here," Ryuji said. "It looks outdated, but I can't say I hate it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"People refer to that as 'retro'," Yusuke commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sojiro noticed the group of friends. "Oh, you brought your friends here," he told Ren.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I invited them over for a get-together," Ren explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In that case, sit down," Sojiro offered. "This round'll be on the house." He looked over at Ren. "You're helping though."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, Ren ended up helping Sojiro serve his friends some coffee. While he remembered the blends he gave Ryuji and Ann when they came over for study sessions, he had to figure out what kind of coffee Yusuke likes. He ultimately settled on mixing Guatemalan Strictly Hard Bean and Cuban Crystal Mountain and finished it with a heart-shaped design on top with cream.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wow... It's delicious," Ann gushed. "Is this the same coffee you gave me while we studied together?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Indeed," Yusuke agreed. "There's great depth to its acidity."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I've been taking notes on each of your coffee preferences," Ren explained. "Which is why I remembered to give Ryuji extra sugar."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't even taste the bitterness!" Ryuji sighed after taking a sip of his coffee.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Why don't you head on upstairs?" Sojiro suggested. "No need to stay down here."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ooh, I wanna see!" Ann exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"It's only an attic," Sojiro pointed out.</p><p class="p2">Yusuke took another sip of coffee. "Thank you very much for the drink," she praised.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Up these stairs?" Ryuji checked. "Oh, and thanks for the coffee!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">"Welcome to my home away from home," Ren said, referring to the attic.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why an attic?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sojiro wouldn't let me stay at his house," Ren answered. "He never said why."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well that sucks," Ryuji blurted out. He looked over at Yusuke. "Whaddya think of this room? I dunno where to begin..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It seems quite ordinary to me," Yusuke commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"For real?" Ryuji asked, noticing the ramen bowl on display.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's cleaner than I thought it would be," Ann admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It was worse when I first got here," Ren explained. "I had to do some cleaning so it would at least look livable."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well now that we're here, time to get down to business," Morgana decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took out his phone. "Pixie, are you and Jack Frost with us?" he checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, we're both here.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I wanna know our next target, hee-ho!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke checked her phone. "We're all over the news," she reported. "Even those who previously believed us have been influenced by the comments made on TV."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is all that effin' Akechi's fault!" Ryuji yelled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Keep it down," Yusuke advised. "We don't want anyone hearing us."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann sighed in defeat. "At this rate we're just going to worry everyone instead of give them courage..." she complained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We need to find a way to make our rightfulness known to society," Morgana suggested. "It's time we think about our next move. You already have a target in mind, right Ren?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response. "Like I told you before, I've been doing volunteer work for a former councilman," he recapped. "His name is Toranosuke Yoshida. He's been giving me advice while I help him with his campaign."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what's your lead?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I have two, actually," Ren continued. "A councilman named Matsushita and an organization called the Kuramoto Children. I'll try looking into them tomorrow night."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You think we'll find our next target that way?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's our only lead so far," Ren insisted. "Yoshida told me the reason why he lost his position was because he was involved in a series of scandals. I'm hoping to look into them for more information. At the moment, it seems like Matsushita might be our next big name, but I'm not entirely sure. He could have a Palace or end up in Mementos. That's why I want to do more research first."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's still better than nothing," Ann pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I was thinking the same thing. From what I hear, Ren really likes this Yoshida person. You should trust him on this one.</span></p><p class="p2">"Wait, so we'll just have to rely on RenRen to find our next big target?" Ryuji complained. "Dammit... We're never gonna prove Akechi wrong at this rate!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, the conversation was interrupted by a loud growl. "What the..." Morgana muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry..." Yusuke apologized. "I haven't eaten anything since yesterday."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"And you spent all your money on that box of sweets?!" Ann remembered.</p><p class="p2">"How much did you have?" Ryuji wondered.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So... What now, hee-ho?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I say we should put aside our thieves business and focus on Yusuke's welcome party," Ren decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann looked around the attic. "I think I found something," she said. "Isn't that a portable stove? Can't we make hot pot on it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That sounds great!" Morgana purred. "I've heard that eating hot pot together brings people closer!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Anything with meat's fine by me!" Ryuji agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I only ask that we finish it off with porridge," Yusuke suggested. "Extra parsley, of course."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">An unusual snicker came from Ren. "What's so amusing about that?" Yusuke questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What kind of person finishes hot pot with porridge?" Ren asked in response. "We'll finish it with udon."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whaaat?!" Yusuke gasped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Dude, your inner rich boy is showing again..." Ryuji told Ren.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Rich boy...?" Yusuke repeated.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"C'mon, let's go buy ingredients," Ryuji decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, I'll need gingko nuts, wonton wrappers, and..." Yusuke started to say.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll take care of the shopping," Ann interrupted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll check to see if Sojiro has a spare pot I can borrow," Ren hoped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana smiled as Ryuji, Ann, and Yusuke left to buy groceries. "Looks like this welcome party is going to turn out quite lively," the not-cat remarked.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">"So you're all having hot pot for dinner?" Sojiro asked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We are," Ren confirmed. "Wanna join us?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't you guys know how busy I am?" Sojiro asked in response. "You guys go have fun. Try looking around for the pot."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With Sojiro's approval, Ren searched the kitchen area for the needed pot. "By the way, I chatted with Ann for a bit before you came down here," the barista revealed. "She said your new friend doesn't have anywhere to go. Asked if I could take her in for a bit. Hope you don't mind some company."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, of course not, sir," Ren replied, silently thanking Ann for telling Sojiro about Yusuke's true gender.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess Ann thought it'd be too pitiful for you to ask, since you're already freeloading," Sojiro assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After a few minutes of searching, Ren found an old earthenware vessel. "This should be big enough," he decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah, you found it," Sojiro noticed. "It's almost time for the others to get back from their shopping trip, so I'll leave you be. I'll be down there for a while though. Just be careful with the fire, okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, sir," Ren replied. He couldn't wait to enjoy this delicious hot meal with his friends.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0091"><h2>91. From Riches to Rags</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Everything can change in an instant.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next few hours were the most fun Ren ever had. He and the others cooked hot pot together. They discussed what ingredients to use and how many, although he got into a bit of an argument with Yusuke over what's the best way to finish hot pot: porridge or udon. Despite this, the hot pot ended up looking quite delicious.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Mmm... It's looking yummy!" Ryuji gushed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After the four teens said their thanks for the food, they enjoyed the hot pot. As the ate, they talked about various things.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I dunno about you, but this room still leaves an impact," Ryuji admitted, his mouth full of food. He swallowed. "I'm not sure where to start."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana tapped his paws on the table. "I want some too!" he begged. "Quick, while it's still hot!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Alright," Ren replied as he prepared a bowl for Morgana.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji scooped up a piece of meat in the hot pot. "Hey, wait!" Ann shouted. "I was about to eat that one!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Hehehehehe... Early bird gets the worm!" Ryuji teased.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">This went on for a couple of hours. Eventually nighttime finally hit. The team had ate most of the hot pot, but there was still a teensy bit left over.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, I can't eat another bite..." Ryuji complained.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Same..." Morgana sighed. "I can't even look at food right now!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But we haven't finished out meal," Yusuke pointed out. "What about the porridge?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just leave it for next time..." Ryuji insisted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren, on the other hand, was helping himself to another bowlful. "Geez, how are you still eating?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's not good to waste food," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So I've heard..." Ryuji grumbled under his breath.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm surprised Lady Ann is able to sleep," Morgana commented while he slowly got back on his feet.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Eh, it'd be weird if she wasn't tired," Ryuji chimed in. "Let's let her sleep for a bit."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"By the way, Ryuji... How do you know Ann?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh? Oh, we went to middle school together," Ryuji answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What was Lady Ann like back then?" Morgana wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not so different from now," Ryuji revealed. "Once we got to high school, we ended up in different classes and stopped talkin'. I don't think she had many friends. I mean she grew up overseas, plus there's her looks. The popular kids hate her and the quiet ones stayed away." He scratched the back of his head. "I figured she would feel less weird if there was another blonde at school, but that didn't do much to help."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." Yusuke remarked. "So, what about you two?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Us?" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke nodded in response. "This is a great opportunity to get to know each other better," she explained. "You know every detail of my past at this point. It's only fair you tell me every detail of yours."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you've got nothin' to lose, huh?" Ryuji concluded. "All right, I'll tell you. It's just a normal story about a rotten kid though."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren simply sat back and let Ryuji tell his tale. He didn't have the heart to tell him he already learned about it from Ms. Kawakami.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My dad left when I was young," Ryuji began. "Ever since then it's been just me and my mom. I was actually tryin' to get a track scholarship so I could make things easier for her. In the end, I just screwed it all up. Turns out I'm a pretty bad son, huh?" He let out a sad chuckle. "Back when I was a first-year, my mom got called out to school for me raisin' my hand at Kamoshida. All the teachers kept houndin' her for what I did, but she just stayed quiet through it all." He scoffed in disgust. "I'll never forget the look she had on her face though. On the way home, she...she apologized to me. For bein' a single mom and all."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's what happened," Yusuke remarked. "They say at school that everyone is equal, but in reality that's a gross oversimplification. I understand how you feel, especially once I realized I am a woman."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What happened?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"After vowing to change my image into the ideal model of beauty, I requested to wear female uniforms at school," Yusuke explained. "But sadly, I was met with disgust. 'Why do you want to wear a girl's uniform', they asked. 'You're not a girl.' I tried to explain that's what I am, but they refused to listen. It seems the only people who truly understand are all of you, especially Ann. She was quick to correct the cafe owner after he misgendered me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, when it comes to gettin' labeled, nobody's got it worse than RenRen," Ryuji chimed in.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is this about his past?" Yusuke wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now that I think about it, we never have heard all the details," Morgana realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren looked a bit unsure. "...It's kind of a long story," he admitted. Then he heard a notification beep from his phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So what? Give me the juicy info!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Tell us, hee-ho!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I agree with our Shadow friends," Yusuke spoke up. "I don't mind. Tell us."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fine..." Ren sighed. He began his tale. "Unlike Ryuji, I was born into a more favorable lifestyle. I lived in the rural town of Ichib with both my parents, who are the most influential people in all of Japan. My mom owns her own hair salon chain with my dad's inherited wealth backing her up. I never really thought much about my family's status growing up. They became successful through hard work and luck, and they encouraged me to follow that same path to success. Things were going great until I hit middle school.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"On Valentine's Day, I received some chocolate from popular girls. I ended up responding to them with store-bought cookies on White Day. What followed was the end of my normal life. The next day, word spread about what happened and other students started calling me weird. I was labeled as a freak since then, though I never understood why until I started high school. That was when I discovered I'm attracted to other guys. But..." he nervously tugged on his bangs. "...things only got worse from there.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ever since I entered high school. I was approached by a senior girl named Ume Sano. At first she wanted to study with me after school. After I agreed, she gradually tried to get closer to me until she..." His body started trembling. "Sh-She..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She did what?" Yusuke questioned, but Ren didn't respond.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"He was raped by that Sano bitch," Ryuji finished. "Poor guy's been shaken over it ever since."</p><p class="p1">"I think I heard that name on the news once before," Yusuke recalled. "Didn't she die from an overdose of sleeping pills?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response. "It still feels like she's haunting me..." he admitted, shyly rubbing his arm. "After that night, she told other girls I was 'easy' and encouraged them to do the same. I spent so much time getting groped and touched numerous times. I think a few actually tried to ambush me. But that wasn't the only thing that changed. I made a promise to never let other rape victims have that experience. But that..." He pushed up his glasses. "That was the thing that changed everything..."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <em>"Damn brat!" the drunk man shouted. "I'll sue!"</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"I-If you keep this up..." the woman spoke up. "Then I'll report about the money! Is that fine with you?!"</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"All I have to say is that you did it on your own, and it's over," the drunk man dismissed.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"But...I just did as I was told..." the woman whimpered.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"Who do you think I am?!" the drunk man snapped.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p2">
  <em>"No..." the woman gasped.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"Hey. Make this statement to the cops," the drunk man continued. "'This kid suddenly attacked me.' Got it? If you even try to say anything else, you know what'll happen to you, right?"</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"Huh?" the woman muttered. "But-"</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"This is bullshit!" Ren shouted. "You fell on your own!"</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"Shut up!" the drunk man snapped. "You're that Amamiya brat, aren't you? You and your family are done for. You're gonna learn what happens when you cross me!"</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>Sensing concern, Ren took the opportunity to run as fast as he could. He knew that if he stuck around, he was going to get caught. And yet, what followed felt like a huge blur. One minute he was trying to head back home, the next he was handcuffed and thrown into a police car.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"Please, you don't understand!" Ren cried out. "I-I'm Ren Amamiya Jr.! Talk to my parents! They'll vouch for me!"</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"So what?" one of the cops spat out. "Not like it matters anymore. Your life's over, kid."</em> </span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <em>"It has been determined that the defendant Ren Amamiya Jr. will be sentenced to life in prison," the judge revealed.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"What?!" Keiko exclaimed.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"I won't accept this!" Ren Sr. shouted. "First Junior is pulled from school, now this?! There is no way my son is going to jail!"</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"Ren, please..." Keiko said, speaking in a hushed voice.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"I can't stay silent about this!" Ren Sr. disagreed. "Junior has been a good boy his whole life! He doesn't belong in prison!"</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"I'm sorry, sir, but it has been decided," the judge decided.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>However, Ren Sr. stood up from his seat and walked over to the judge. "Please..." he begged, taking out a huge wad of banknotes and placing it next to the gavel. "I can't lose my son."</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>The judge looked at the banknotes for a few seconds before accepting them. "Very well," he said. "12-month probation."</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>While Ren wasn't happy with this option either, his parents felt the same way. Keiko was deeply heartbroken while Ren Sr. still looked furious. Life in prison or 12-month probation, the only two options they had. Realizing there wasn't any other choice, the older gentleman made up his mind.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"Fine..." Ren Sr. agreed. "We'll accept the probation." He walked back to his seat, feeling hurt with what had happened.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>"Oh, Renny..." Keiko sighed. She kissed her son's forehead. "Your father tried his best."</em> </span>
</p><p class="p2">
  <em>"It's okay, mom," Ren reassured, but the tears brimming in his eyes said otherwise. "I'll be fine. It's just twelve months. I'll be back home before you know it."</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0092"><h2>92. Japan's Outcasts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Their backgrounds might be different, but there is a common connection among the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...and that's how I ended up in Tokyo," Ren concluded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." Yusuke said. "Despite being born into more fortunate circumstances, you've had it rough as well."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just listenin' to it pisses me off..." Ryuji commented. He pounded his fist against the table. "Goddammit!" He looked over at Ren. "You got an assault on your record just for that?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's better this way," Ren replied. "If I didn't end up on probation, I would still be in Ichib dealing with girls trying to assault me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The woman sounds quite horrible as well," Yusuke remarked. "She's stayed quiet this whole time."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That man is just the kind of person whose heart we should steal!" Morgana decided. "Who is he, and where can we find him?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not sure," Ren admitted. "I don't even remember what he looked like."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"I guess that makes sense," Morgana realized. "It was at night, and it sounds like you were in shock after getting arrested. I understand all too well the pain of not being able to remember important details of your life."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The victim's personal information is always kept secret," Yusuke recalled. "Identifying that man will prove difficult. Besides, the court already made their ruling, didn't they? If we manage to get revenge, Ren's past record won't go away."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't stand it!" Ryuji exclaimed. "This world is so messed up! The weak're left to fight for themselves, while rotten adults get away with whatever they want!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And those in power don't do anything to help the situation," Morgana added.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's right," Ren agreed. "It's why I decided to become a politician. If no one is willing to change the world, I want to do it myself."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's an excellent mindset," Yusuke complimented. "We can fix this, and nobody would even know. We just need to show the world what true justice is. We'll make them come to their senses."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're right, Yusuke!" Ryuji agreed. "That's gotta be what our powers're for!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I still want to become a politician," Ren said. "But until then, let's keep changing people's hearts."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sounds good to me," Morgana chimed in. "The flashier our missions are, the cooler we end up looking!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">"You've all taught me so much," Yusuke praised.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ann finally woke up. "What're you getting all excited about?" she wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, sorry..." Ryuji apologized. "Did we wake you up?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nah, not really," Ann revealed. "I've been up for a while now. Still, this weird feeling came over me while I was listening to all of you. It almost feels like I've know you all forever."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's impossible," Ren pointed out. "We met in April of this year."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't mean literally," Ann corrected. "Just that we've...kind of became fast friends. Do you think it's because our backgrounds are so similar?"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Let's see... A gay rich boy on probation, a former track runner with a broken leg, a biracial model, and a transitioning male-to-female painter... I don't get it. You all have different backgrounds. How can they be similar?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I get what Ann is saying," Ryuji spoke up. "We've all got something that makes us outcasts. Figures we'd all relate on the bad stuff."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Similar, huh..." Morgana muttered. "I'm the only one who doesn't fit in. I don't have any past to look back on... No memories..."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So what? You're just like me.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?!" Morgana panicked. "I'm nothing like you!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think Pixie means you can sense Shadows like she can," Ren clarified.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah! That's exactly it! We're the Shadow-detecting duo!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What about me, hee-ho?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Well, duh! We're similar because we're both Shadows.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yay! </span><span class="s2">🤗</span><span class="s1"> Shadow buddies, hee-ho!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Okay, I get it! You can stop hugging me! I'm smaller than you, remember?!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Oops! Sorry, hee-ho.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I actually feel like I've known Morgana, Pixie, and Jack Frost for a really long time too," Ann spoke up. "It's so strange... I can't really put it into words."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Look, I-I'm helping you guys out for my own sake," Morgana claimed. "Don't get me wrong! If you don't get stronger, investigating Mementos won't be anything but a pipe dream!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"That sure was a quick turnaround," Ryuji noticed. "One second you're depressed, the next you're actin' all tough."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I still want to continue improving this society," Ren said, changing topics.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Me too," Ann agreed. "I want to punish those corrupt adults and give courage to people in trouble. Only we can do that!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ha! Ya got that right!" Ryuji cheered.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Being a member of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts will surely help me grow, both as an artist and as a beautiful woman," Yusuke chimed in.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course," Morgana replied. "You're under my tutelage after all. There's nothing we can't accomplish!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well...I hope we can keep this up," Ann encouraged. "We should be all right with Ren as our leader."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't give me all the credit," Ren pointed out. "If Ryuji didn't go out of his way to talk to me, I wouldn't have met all of you. It was his friendship that made me comfortable about opening up to others."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks, man!" Ryuji replied with a huge grin. "Glad I could help ya out!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann checked her phone. "Whoa, it's this late?" she realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I guess now's a good time to call it for the night," Ryuji decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm glad the cafe owner has allowed me to stay here," Yusuke said, sounding relieved. "However, I won't be able to sleep unless I take a bath."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"You can stop by the bathhouse nearby," Ren offered. "Sojiro gave me his membership card. I can lend it to you if you want."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A...public bathhouse?" Yusuke asked. She suddenly looked uncomfortable. "That might cause some trouble if I were to go in..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I normally go at nighttime, so it's practically empty," Ren reassured. "You can go into the girl's side and no one will stop you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wanna come too!" Ryuji decided. "How 'bout you, Ann?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann looked over at Yusuke. "Sure," she replied. "I might be able to help Yusuke-chan feel less awkward."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That would be wonderful," Yusuke said. "Thank you, Ann."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">The trip to the bathhouse was a bit uncomfortable for Ren. While Ann and Yusuke were on the girl's side, he was sharing the bathhouse experience with Ryuji. But while the ex-runner immediately went to the public bath, Ren did his usual routine of cleaning himself first. He used the bottle of Beauty's Delight shampoo that Haru gave him instead of the bathhouse-provided shampoo, which proved to be a better match for his hair. Once he had finished washing off all the soap, he joined Ryuji in the public bath...while also trying to maintain a good distance from him. He never realized how muscular his friend is...</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ahh, huge bathtubs really are the best," Ryuji sighed. He noticed Ren was looking away from him. "Somethin' wrong, RenRen?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, uh... It's nothing..." Ren muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"You know, I've been wonderin' for a while now..." Ryuji said. "But what do you think about Ann? As a girl, I mean."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I wouldn't know," Ren answered. "I'm not attracted to girls, remember?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right..." Ryuji muttered. "You only see her as a friend. But for me, she's kinda awesome. Her looks totally make up for her overbearing personality."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we're talking about our crushes?" Ren assumed. "In that case, I wasn't kidding when I said Akechi's hair looks soft. There's also how he says certain words. I could never forget hearing him say 'antithesis'."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Huh? <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GebPNvlFGRc&amp;t=0m44s">Antitheeseasoness</a>?" Ryuji muttered. "What's that?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's a contrast between two things," Ren explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whatever..." Ryuji sighed. "I can't believe you've still got a crush on Akechi. How could you like him after what he said on TV?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He's still a charming person," Ren explained. "Plus he's interesting to talk to. We spoke a few times whenever he came to LeBlanc and he always had something to say."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You shouldn't get your hopes up, though," Ryuji advised. "Did you see how crazy the girls got at the TV station? Somethin' tells me he's not interested in you THAT way."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"It doesn't hurt to try," Ren insisted. "Maybe I should ask him out on a da-"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Ughhhh! It's frickin' hot!" Ryuji shouted. He jumped out of the public bath. "How much do ya hafta add until you're satisfied, gramps?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Oh yeah, I forgot to mention a minor detail. Ren and Ryuji weren't the only ones in the bathhouse. There was an elderly man as well, who kept on adding hot water. The two teens weren't bothered by it until just now. But this caused Ren to realize something new about Ryuji. Something that made his face turn red.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why're you staring at me like that?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're...big..." Ren gasped, his gaze fixated on a certain area.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hmm?" Ryuji muttered. It took him a few seconds to realize what his dark-haired friend was talking about. "H-Hey! Quit staring at me!" He frantically grabbed his towel and wrapped it around his waist. "Anyways, let's...meet up again...early next week. I'll, uh... I'll contact everyone!"</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>“Did we just see Ryuji’s peepee?”<br/>—JohneAwesome</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0093"><h2>93. Yusuke's Choice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A certain bi trans girl decides her preferred living residence.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Later that night, Ren and Yusuke headed back to LeBlanc. As the two got dressed for bed, Ren noticed Morgana looked fidgety. "Is something wrong?" the dark-haired teen asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm going to protect my sleeping beauty, no matter what it takes...!" Morgana grumbled under his breath.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But I'm still awake," Ren pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not talking about you!" Morgana shouted. "Wait... Don't eavesdrop on me!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren chuckled before looking over at Yusuke. "Are you going to be okay sleeping like that?" he checked. He was unable to find a futon, so the bluenette ended up just sleeping on a rug with a single blanket and pillow.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I will be fine here," Yusuke insisted. "I sleep in my studio on occasion, so this is luxurious in comparison."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That surprised Ren. "If you say so..." he replied before turning off the lights. "Sleep well."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shortly after falling asleep, Ren soon found himself back in the Velvet Room. "The prisoner Ren Amamiya has returned," Justine announced.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're in the presence of our master!" Caroline shouted. "Stand up straight!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The bonds that you have reeled in are quite intriguing," Igor remarked. "In other words, they all have been unfairly labeled by society and are standing up against such fates. Have you noticed? They seemed to have influenced you."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I noticed," Ren confirmed. "I feel more comfortable around them."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Igor chuckled. "These picaresque dissidents of society..." he continued. "Deepen your bonds with them. Those will become the strength behind your rehabilitation. I look forward to it. May you continue devoting yourself to further rehabilitation."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Meanwhile, back in the real world. Yusuke had trouble sleeping. Not because of the uncomfortable sleeping condition, but because she was thinking back to what happened at the bathhouse. Since there weren't any other women present, she was able to bathe without being judged. And yet, while she bathed, she couldn't help but think about her body.</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With her gaze fixated on Sayuri, the bluenette thought back to what she told Madarame's Shadow. While her body in the Metaverse didn't match her body in the real world, she vowed to change it so it would resemble who she truly is. But how was she going to do that? She was born into a male body, something that couldn't be easily reversed. Not even Ann's fashion tips could help fix that.</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Even if there was a possibility, how could she discover it while living with Ren? While she appreciated his help and encouragement, there was no way she could discover herself while staying in this attic. In fact, it was no different from when she lived in the shack, back when her fury towards Madarame caused her to paint on impulse. That wasn't true beauty in the slightest. She displayed ugly behavior that night, something she didn't want to repeat.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She couldn't continue living like this.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She had to change.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're Nijima-san's younger sister, correct? May I talk to you for a moment?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is it about the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, Akechi-kun?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're quite perceptive. I was wondering if there were any points in common between Kamoshida's and Madarame's cases. There have been victims, after all. The Phantom Thieves of Hearts need to be pursued."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You criticize these phantom thieves, yet you don't doubt their actual existence."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, you saw that show on TV. Common sense can get in the way at times when pursuing the truth. Many details become logical if I think on the premise that they do exist."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is this...because my sister told you to do so?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It was just a coincidence."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why do I get the feeling that you're enjoying this?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You may be right. Phantom thieves that use calling cards and succeed in their crime... As the so-called 'charismatic detective', it's be hard for me not to see them as my rivals."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You have such high self-esteem. So the Phantom Thieves of Hearts are evil, and you are just?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Compared to people who manipulate others' hearts as they see fit, I believe I'm on the side of justice. Besides, I'm only using my natural-born talents for the sake of serving the world. Don't you think the same about yourself too?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I... I really should get going. I need to focus on my exams."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Those tests hardly matter in the end. Although...could it be you're trying to avoid my question?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Has someone sworn you to silence?"</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hm. So you are being told to keep quiet. That's no surprise. You were always just the good-girl type of pushover, after all."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...But-"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"See you later. Give Nijima-san my regards."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why...?"</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Meanwhile, over at LeBlanc, Yusuke was enjoying a hot cup of coffee. She was wearing an indigo, long sleeve shirt decorated with a grey and black design, along with black pants and black casual loafers. This was an outfit Ann picked out for her, given that the shirt exposes her collarbone in a feminine manner.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's such a delight to enjoy coffee of this quality," Yusuke complimented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You could stay until you find a place, you know," Sojiro offered. "I can't promise it'd be comfortable here though."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you, but I'll return to the dorms," Yusuke insisted. "I realized something after talking with everyone last night. Perhaps it's due to my upbringing, but I don't know anything of the world, let alone other people. If I'm to depict people in my art, I need to learn more about them. I must interact with them more. I'll return to the dorms...and start over by talking with the people closest to me."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see. Good on you for realizing that yourself," Sojiro complimented.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's no need to exaggerate," Yusuke insisted. "May I come again sometime to enjoy your coffee?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My doors are always open," Sojiro replied.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ren's been through a lot too, from what I've heard," Yusuke said. "Are you related to him?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're just acquaintances," Sojiro corrected. "Not family or anything."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I may be overstepping my bounds, but why did you decide to take him in?" Yusuke questioned.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I knew his father back in college," Sojiro answered. "So when I found out he wanted me to look after his son, I couldn't turn down his request."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's all?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You know how it is," Sojiro continued. "Ties to the past make you do unusual things sometimes. Your art instructor- Um, former art instructor... He must've felt something for you too, besides just stealing your talents."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Truth be told... I recently found out what he felt," Yusuke revealed. "He only kept me around to make sure I never found out he was responsible for my mother's death...and that I wouldn't remember her face. He never cared about my talents to begin with. I can no longer feel sympathy for someone who once treated me as an object." She absentmindedly brushed a hand through her hair. "There were so many things he did to me without my consent. Because of his actions, my heart has been scarred too deeply. The damage will never go away even after many years have passed." She sighed. "I should probably get going."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, you sure about this?" Sojiro suddenly asked.</span>
</p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It'd be a waste to keep here."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Even if I kept it at the dorms, it'd only be met with skepticism," Yusuke explained. "I doubt it would want that. Adding a hint of color to an otherwise ordinary day... I'm sure my mother would've done the same."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see," Sojiro replied. "I'll hold on to it for you then."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke stood up. "Thank you for the coffee," she spoke. "I'll come again." Then with her bags in hand, she left LeBlanc.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0094"><h2>94. The Kuramoto Connection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Why sit around waiting for a lead when you can use your political connections to find one yourself?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren groaned as he woke up. "You're finally awake," Morgana commented.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Where's Yusuke?" Ren asked as he sat up.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She wasn't around when I woke up," Morgana answered. "She must be downstairs."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But when Ren headed downstairs, Yusuke wasn't there either. "You're finally up," Sojiro said. "You know it's past noon."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Where's Yusuke?" Ren repeated.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"That kid ended up going back to her dorms," Sojiro revealed. He gestured to Sayuri. "She left this painting before she took off, though. Supposedly to thank us for taking care of her."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How nice of her to do that," Ren complimented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's rare to see a kid acting so grateful these days," Sojiro agreed. "And this painting is amazing. Not only is the mother stunning, but the expression on her face... The regulars will probably freak out when they see it in here. Still... I feel like I've seen it somewhere. It's a bit different from how I remember it, though."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My mom would agree," Ren said. "She's a huge painting enthusiast."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Still?" Sojiro asked. "I guess that part of her hasn't changed after all these years. Well...if you're up for the day, go on and get dressed. I opened shop hours ago, so go take the cat out somewhere."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">A while later, Ren had finished his morning pull-ups and got dressed in his new summer outfit, which consisted of the clothes he bought in Kichijoji during his first visit with Ryuji. He was enjoying his daily cup of coffee when he received a surprise text from Yusuke.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Thank you again for letting me stay the night. Apologies for leaving so quietly, but your rest seemed peaceful?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Really? I'm usually a restless sleeper. So, why did you leave?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">After a great deal of inner struggle, I have decided to return to the dormitories. Furthermore, I've entrusted Sayuri to your protector, Sojiro. That painting should no longer exist in reality...but it is truly what my mother painted. I am simply satisfied that we were able to obtain it. And it was all because of you, Ren. I cannot thank you enough.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">You should thank the others too. It was a group effort.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">That is true, but you were the one who dragged me into the Metaverse that time. That simple gesture was enough for me to realize the truth behind Sayuri and discover who I really am. That is why I must thank you again.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Oh... You're welcome...I guess.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">PS, I still believe porridge is the best way to end a hot pot.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Yeah right. Udon is the best way.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So, Yusuke went home, huh?" Morgana checked. "Oh well, I guess that's best."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The rest of the day was pretty much ordinary. Ren stopped by Takemi's clinic for a health checkup, then hung out with Ann and Ryuji. So instead of talking about those things, I'll just skip over to that evening, which started with the usual text from Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">So, tonight's the big night. You nervous, RenRen?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Not at all. If things go well, I might be able to uncover more information about our next target.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">What if you are unable to find anything?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">He better! After what that guy said, sitting around doing nothing just pisses me off!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">You're talking about Akechi-kun, right? I know how you feel.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Ren doesn't.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wha- Pixie!" Ren shouted, his cheeks turning red.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Tee-hee! It's so easy to make you blush!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Are you talking about the high school detective?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">He'd hafta shut up if we changed another person's heart.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">What if we change his heart, hee-ho?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I tried. Couldn't find his name on the MetaNav.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Shouldn't we focus on what he said about the police?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Yeah, he did mention that they're starting to mobilize. Either way, I don't think we should leave Akechi-kun be.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">This is the perfect time to meet and discuss what our strategy should be going forward. Let us gather at the hideout tomorrow. I look forward to hearing about your progress, Ren.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Yoshida began his speech, he told Ren that something different will be happening tonight. Apparently there were going to be cameramen in the audience. While Yoshida said he was somewhat suspicious about it, he couldn't decline. So as a result, Ren did his usual job of holding up the placard as Yoshida gave his speech. But this time, he discreetly listened in on what the cameramen said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Okay, all cued up."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay, we should be able to get a lot of interesting footage. It is No-Good Tora, after all."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Advocate an overly optimistic policy only to lure in voters during the election season..." Yoshida continued. "That's how No-Good Tora thought and operated twenty years ago, making unachievable pledges."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hm, this isn't how I saw this going..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you make a promise, you must keep it," Yoshida continued. "If you make a mistake, you must atone for it. These are basic human principles that we have all learned from the youngest of ages."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Boring."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He's making some pretty good points, don't you think?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's why it's all useless!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After the speech, Ren told Yoshida what had occurred. "It seems like they only wanted to get some footage of the old No-Good Tora," the older gentleman said. "Very disrespectful. However, I've been distancing myself from that. Do you think I've regained my confidence?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Absolutely," Ren answered with a kind smile. "That speech was incredible."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you for the kind words, Amamiya-kun," Yoshida replied. "However, I will never forget the disgrace I suffered as No-Good Tora." He paused. "Can I tell you a story?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Very well," Yoshida said. "I mentioned this before, but twenty years ago, I was lucky enough to become a Diet member. However, I wanted to be a politician for all the wrong reasons. I wanted to be in a position of power and I was obsessed with the glamorous lifestyle. I thought only of being popular. I truly was no-good..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I never wanted to be a politician for fame," Ren said, his voice brimming with confidence. "My only motivation is improving the country."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's a good enough reason for studying politics," Yoshida encouraged. "However, don't let being a politician be your only goal in life. Voters are much more sensible than we give them credit for. Being ambitious and striving to advance in the political world will change your outlook on life. Don't let the fame sway your beliefs."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Ren replied. He appreciated the advice Yoshida eagerly gave him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, a suited man walked over to the two. "You've given some good speeches, Mr. Yoshida," he said. "I can't believe you lost the last two elections."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yoshida appeared to recognize the suited man. "You...Mr. Kuramoto's grandson?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's correct," the suited man confirmed. "I'm his grandson, Benzo."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Does he know that you're here speaking with me now?" Yoshida checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm aware that you and my grandfather are on bad terms, but that doesn't concern me," Benzo reassured. He looked over at Ren. "This must be your secretary, huh? I heard he's been helping you out a lot lately."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How do you know me?" Ren asked, secretly readying the recording function on his phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My grandfather was recently hospitalized, and you've been the topic of our conversations," Benzo told Yoshida. "I'd like to talk with you again sometime. I learned a lot from your speech today."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Benzo walked off, Yoshida thought about his words. "Mr. Kuramoto...spoke of me?" the former politician asked. His phone rang. "Matsushita...?" He looked over at Ren. "Sorry, I have to take care of some business. Let's wrap this up for today."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's alright," Ren replied. "I learned some useful advice from you." Yet secretly he was also happy to get a possible hit. He couldn't wait to tell the others about Benzo Kuramoto. Maybe he was the next big target they were looking for...</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0095"><h2>95. Not Ryuji's Fault</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Love can make smart people do stupid things.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, while waiting for the train, Ren ended up bumping into Akechi. "Fancy seeing you here," the brunette greeted. "Oh, right. I guess Shujin was in this direction too."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What school do you go to?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm attending Kosei," Akechi revealed. "Still, I wouldn't have expected to run into you at this time. Perhaps it really is fate. How are you doing?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not bad," Ren answered. In actuality, he felt great. He found a possible hit last night and he couldn't wait to tell the others about it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's a good response," Akechi complimented. "I've been getting interviewed a lot lately, so I've been wondering how to answer such questions. I suppose it is best to simply be yourself and say what you think. You've given me much to consider. If it isn't too much trouble, may I speak with you again this evening?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, uh... Sure," Ren replied. What did Akechi have in mind for tonight?</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Throughout the entire school day, all Ren could think about was the next target. Benzo Kuramoto... That was the name he got, so he had to make sure he remembered it. It went on like this for a while until finally classes were over. Now to head over to the karaoke bar and tell everyone about-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh good, you haven't gone home yet."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ms. Kawakami?" Ren asked, surprised with the interruption. "What is it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nijima-san's looking for you," Ms. Kawakami revealed. "Could you head to the student council room right away? She says there's no report of a lost item, so she wants you to start filling out some paperwork."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...That's it?" Ren asked, feeling confused and unsure about this sudden request. "Why me?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just go," Ms. Kawakami insisted. "If you don't, they'll come and complain to me about it. The student council room is on the third floor, next to the library. Got it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fine..." Ren sighed. But then he remembered there was a book he didn't return yet.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nijima's the girl who keeps following up around, right?" Morgana checked. "What could she want?"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After making a quick stop at the library to return 'A Political History Of Japan', Ren headed over to the student council room. Sure enough, Makoto was waiting for him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah. Earlier than expected," Makoto remarked. "I'll get straight to the point. Mr. Kamoshida and Madarame. Won't you tell me the truth behind the phantom thieves' incidents?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't know what you're talking about," Ren responded. "I'm just focusing on my studies."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that so?" Makoto asked. "Ah, of course you can't answer. There's no way you would admit to such things." She took out her phone. "Have a listen."</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If someone else could help 'em, we wouldn't be doin' stuff as you-know-what to start with!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you think it's true? We'll be okay if we keep doing this...right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We can't let the cops scare us outta doin' our jobs."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's no going back now. Not after everything we've been through. We're the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, after all."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What could all this mean?" Makoto demanded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nice going!" Morgana hissed from inside Ren's bag. "You screwed up!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Was it blackmail?" Makoto questioned. "Hypnosis? How do you corner someone into making them confess? Won't you tell me how you did it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Y-You're mistaken," Ren stammered. "We have nothing to do with them."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not," Makoto insisted. "You outright admitted you and your friends are the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. There is no use denying what you have already said. Now, what would the police think if they heard my recording?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren swallowed hard. If that was the case, there's no doubt he would end up in jail given his probation.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you confess the truth, I don't mind just leaving this between the two of us," Makoto continued. "You'll tell me, won't you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Ren could say something, he was interrupted by his phone ringing. "Go ahead," Makoto encouraged. "But please put it on speaker."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing he didn't have a choice, Ren answered the phone with the speaker turned on. What followed was the most surprising outburst from Ryuji.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, where you at? Takin' a leak? Let's meet up at the karaoke bar for our usual hangout stuff!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren hung up the phone without responding. "So...the karaoke bar," Makoto repeated. "A business that's busy at night, a perfect place to have private phantom thief meetings during the day. I'd like everyone else to hear this as well. Won't you take me to your friends?"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing he didn't have any other option, Ren ended up bringing Makoto to the karaoke bar. Everyone else was already in their usual booth, much to the dark-haired teen's dismay.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that girl a friend of yours?" Yusuke wondered upon seeing Makoto.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji and Ann also took note on the sudden company. "Wh-What the hell?!" Ryuji stammered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's the meaning of this?!" Ann demanded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I screwed up..." Ren admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki..." Makoto noted. She looked over at Yusuke. "And you're Kitagawa-kun, correct? Second-year at Kosei High and former pupil of Madarame?" She took out her phone. "I wanted to ask you all about this." She proceeded to play the same recording of Ryuji, Ann, and Ren.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"An extremely similar technique was used for both Kamoshida and Madarame..." Makoto continued once the recording was finished. "While those affected by their acts were just coincidentally meeting up. How could that not raise suspicions?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke was the first to speak up. "What do you intend to do?" she questioned. "Have you come just to say you're going to report us?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I bet someone told you to find us!" Ann snapped. "The school can't have ties to criminals, after all! And yet they turned a blind eye when it comes to suicide and sexual harassment! Those adults are just using you! I feel sorry for you!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Makoto didn't respond right away. "Th-That's not..." she muttered. She cleared her throat. "I would like to verify the justice you speak of."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?" Ryuji muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm the only one who knows about you," Makoto clarified. "If you prove what you're doing is just, I'll erase this."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She wants to make a deal," Morgana realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There is someone whose heart I'd like you to change," Makoto continued.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who did you have in mind?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hm, so you're not saying it's impossible," Makoto interpreted. "However...I cannot tell you that just yet. Let's continue our talk after school tomorrow, on the roof. Assuming you accept my offer, that is."with that, she walked off.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji sighed in frustration. "This is turnin' into a real pain..." he grumbled under his breath.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke glared at Ren. "You were careless," she stated. "I don't think you truly understood how high the stakes were. Anything to say?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I...really like Akechi's food blog?" Ren stammered, holding up his phone. A notification beeped out.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Nice save, so-called leader!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, what should we do?" Ryuji asked. "That girl's got dirt on us."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A recording seems to be insufficient evidence though," Yusuke pointed out. "And even with that, there's no way they could prove our methods."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Considering who we're dealing with, I think it might be a trap," Ann suspected.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Regardless, Ren would be in real trouble," Morgana pointed out. "He's on probation, after all."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Things'd get rough if we didn't have our leader," Ryuji agreed. "And I totally don't wanna deal with the police."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then...we have no other choice but to go along with it," Yusuke realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sounds like it.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What about that Kuramoto kid, hee-ho?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll work on it once we cover Nijima's request," Ren decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait, so you got a name?" Ryuji realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Benzo Kuramoto," Ren explained. "I met him last night. He described himself as Mr. Kuramoto's grandson, so he might know something regarding Yoshida's fallout."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's great, but you know we'll have to save it for later," Morgana pointed out. "You made a crucial mistake, but not a critical one. We'll just have to recover from here on out."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right. We're meetin' on the school roof tomorrow, right?" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about me?" Yusuke realized. "I could always sneak in if necessary."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That'll draw too much attention," Ann pointed out. "You should just wait outside, Yusuke-chan."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I can repeat what she says through Ren's phone. Just open up the group chat and leave the rest to me.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you'll be transcribing the message," Yusuke replied. "What a brilliant plan, Pixie."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Smiley face!</span></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0096"><h2>96. A Friendly Game of Billiards</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Justice Rank 2</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That evening, Ren got ready for his hangout with Akechi. But before he left, he checked in on his friends.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm so effing pissed! Do we just gotta do what she says?!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Considering what has happened, it seems we have no other choice.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I wonder whose heart the student council president would want us to change.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Don't matter to me.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It should! What if her target is someone dangerous?! My healing magic is kinda limited, you know!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">But there might be a reason behind who she picks, right?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I don't really care. I just want to finish up this target as soon as possible so I can continue my research on Benzo Kuramoto.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeesh... And I thought Ryuji was the one obsessed with a certain Mementos target.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">She mentioned how she wants to prove our justice, did she not?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, she definitely did.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Then there must be some reasoning behind her choice. Please contact me immediately if you find anything out.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I will.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the current plan discussed, Ren switched out of the group chat and texted Akechi about tonight's plans.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Where are we meeting up?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">AKECHI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">The place is in Kichijoji. I'm thinking of going to play some billiards there. I'll send you directions.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Thanks. I'll see you there.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet in actuality, Ren already knew how to get to Kichijoji. He just didn't have the heart to tell Akechi that.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">As soon as Ren arrived at Penguin Sniper, sure enough, Akechi was waiting right near the door. After the two said their hellos, they entered the darts lounge. Akechi paid for the two of them and they headed over to a billiards table with their cue sticks.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So why this place?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I found myself with some free time, so I was hoping to find someone to play against," Akechi explained as he set up the balls.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're always that busy?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, I wouldn't say I'm unoccupied," Akechi corrected. "But I'm not busy all the time either. If anything, it's my policy to spend my spare time in meaningful ways." With the balls set up, Akechi went first and got into position. "Now, let's play a game. You've played pool before, correct?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... Not really..." Ren admitted, stammering slightly. He noticed Akechi was leaning too close to the table, resulting in his butt sticking up a little too much...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Ren was trying to stay focused, Akechi hit the cue ball, causing all of the pool balls to scatter with three of them hitting the pockets. The dark-haired teen was in shock with the sudden arrangements. How did he...?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, my apologies," Akechi said with a slight laugh. "A break ace."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not bad," Ren complimented. "Is that your win?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, the 9-ball's been sunk already, so..." Akechi replied. "But that was just a coincidence, of course, so we can start over. That won't count."</span>
</p><p class="p2">And so, once the balls were back in position, the two enjoyed playing billiards together. The experience was quite wonderful for Ren. Here he was, spending a fun night with his first crush. Although, something seemed a bit off halfway through the game...</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oof... Bad move on my part," Akechi said. "If you get this next one, I'm in trouble."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll see about that," Ren replied. He walked over to the table and got into position, with a careful hit of the cue ball, he was able to hit two pool balls into the pockets at the same time.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not bad," Akechi complimented. "Everything's riding on your next shot, though. How will you handle this?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren used his math skills to do some careful calculations in his head. "I'll shoot very carefully," he decided. But despite this, the hit he had in mind failed to land another pool ball in a pocket. It was close, but it didn't actually go in all the way.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Some time later, Akechi was able to get the remaining pool ball in the pocket. "I win," he proudly declared. "That was a close one, though. I suppose it would have to be embarrassing to lose as your senior, huh?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the game over, Ren finally realized what was off. He thought back to the TV station. When Akechi shook his hand, he used his left hand. The same happened earlier tonight, when Akechi made that break ace. He was using his left hand as well. Yet near the end of the game, he used his right hand instead. What was that all about?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is something the matter?" Akechi questioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Aren't you left-handed?" Ren asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Akechi chuckled. "I'm honestly impressed you noticed," he admitted. He slightly waved his left hand. "That's right, this one's my dominant hand. I switched hands during the game. It's not anything against you. Going all-out against a junior just seems a bit gauche. But I confess you've surprised me. I'm rather dextrous with my right hand. I can even use chopsticks with it. Frankly, I didn't expect you to see through it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see a lot of things," Ren joked as he pushed up his glasses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, so those glasses are just for the aesthetics, then?" Akechi asked, speaking in a humorous tone.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren laughed slightly. "You got me," he confirmed. "My glasses are fake. I don't need them to see."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then perhaps you were being metaphorical," Akechi guessed. "You're a hard one to read sometimes. In any case, you truly are interesting. You never cease to intrigue me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh... Thank you..." Ren replied. He felt his cheeks heat up, sensing Akechi's appreciation. Was that...a compliment? Was he flirting with him?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If you ever manage to win against me using my right hand, then I will face you with everything I have," Akechi suddenly challenged. "You have my word."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll keep that in mind," Ren replied. He couldn't wait to have that rematch.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Later that evening, after parting ways with Akechi, Ren headed back to LeBlanc. But on the way back, his phone rang. Curious, he answered it. "Hello?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey," Akechi greeted. "Thanks for coming along today."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're welcome," Ren replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Our little game turned out to be more interesting than I expected," Akechi continued. "Barely anyone notices when I don't use my dominant hand. I can only commend your powers of observation. I think you'd be an interesting influence on me. If you're so inclined, we could go out again sometime."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren gasped slightly. Go out? Did that mean...like a date? No, that couldn't have been it. But just to make sure...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A-As rivals?" the dark-haired teen checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Akechi laughed in response. "Whatever works for you," he confirmed. "As long as I can spend some time with you, think of it as you please."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"O-Okay..." Ren replied, still blushing.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, I suppose I'll reach out the next time something comes up," Akechi said. "See you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After saying goodbye, Ren hung up the phone. As he continued his walk back to LeBlanc, a dopey grin appeared on his face. He couldn't wait to spend his free time with Akechi again.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0097"><h2>97. Mafia Troubles</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Makoto reveals her target to the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day flew by in a breeze. Ren could barely pay attention in class due to concern over what target Makoto had in mind. Whose heart did she want them to change, and why? The whole setup felt a teensy bit suspicious to him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As soon as classes were done for the day, Ren met up with Ryuji and Ann to head over to the roof. Sure enough, Makoto was already there. So with Pixie transcribing the conversation to Yusuke (who was standing right outside the school), it was time to learn about the student council president's request.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was thinking you might not show," Makoto said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Tell us about your request," Ren responded. "Who do you want to have a change of heart?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Makoto was silent for a few seconds before speaking. "...A mafia boss."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Mafia?!" Ann yelped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What're you talkin' about?!" Ryuji demanded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's what they call themselves," Makoto clarified. "This group seems to be the cause of the rise in phishing scams. What's worse, once you're in their sights, they won't stop threatening you until they get what they want. They'll force you to take part in their business, threaten your life, and ultimately destroy it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Holy shit..." Ryuji muttered in shock.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It appears that their victims include some of our students," Makoto continued. "They primarily target juveniles."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We can't change the target's heart until we get a name," Ren pointed out. "Do you know what it is?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Nobody knows," Makoto admitted, her hand tightly grasping onto her phone. "The victims are being threatened not to testify, so even the police can't get a grasp on the situation."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's where you want us to start?!" Ann exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You should be able to pull this off," Makoto insisted. "If you're really the righteous Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Or is Akechi-kun correct when he says you act without justice?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's eyes widened. "Well, uh..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Can't you say something witty back at her?" Morgana begged.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"S-Something witty...?" Ren stammered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I knew you were gonna say that..." Morgana sighed. "You always get distracted whenever Akechi is brought up!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There main hub of activity is in Shibuya," Makoto revealed, unfazed by Ren's words. "That's all the information I have. You have two weeks. As soon as it's June 28th, I'll submit all the evidence I have to the police and to the school. I hope you don't let me down."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once Makoto left the rooftop, Ren took his phone out. "Did you get all that, Pixie?" he checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Yep! I got every word! Yusuke knows just as much as you guys.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana sighed. "She really had the upper hand in that exchange..." he commented, referring to Makoto.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Tch... Don't let me down..." Ryuji grumbled under his breath. "Dammit, she was just bossin' us around!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We should head over to the karaoke bar to discuss this further," Ren decided. "The way Makoto talked about this mafia boss, we don't have any other options."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann slammed her drink onto the table. "Ugh... I'm so mad!" she shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The mafia..." Yusuke muttered. "Hm..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Can we really do this?" Ann checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Even if we could, we don't have a name," Ren pointed out. "He claims to be a crime boss, so there's a good chance he has a Palace."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That would be tricky," Morgana agreed. "We have almost no information on our target."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Isn't think a prime opportunity for us though?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How?!" Ann angrily exclaimed. "We're in huge trouble!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Even after we punished an evil man who seemed to be good, the public did not acknowledge us," Yusuke pointed out. "However, if we take down an actual criminal, let alone a target the police don't have answers for..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, right!" Ann realized. "That might make people believe in us!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I get it!" Ryuji exclaimed. "That means even Akechi'll have to acknowledge us as the Phantom Thieves of Hearts! Whaddya say, RenRen?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The mafia, huh...?" Ren pondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well yeah, it'd be a pain if they came after you," Ryuji agreed. "But we don't hafta deal with 'em directly! We just gotta do what we always do!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Our time limit is two weeks, correct?" Yusuke checked. "We can't afford to waste too much time. I'll ask around Kosei and see if there are any victims."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay, I know some girls who go to Shibuya pretty often," Ann spoke up. "I'll check with them about it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right, and I'm gonna see what I can find out on the net," Ryuji decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll check Shujin tomorrow," Ren said. "If there are victims at our school, I should be able to get information from them."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll back you up," Morgana volunteered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll meet up at the end of this week to exchange information," Ren decided. "Until then, keep an eye out for any suspicious activity."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, the team departed for the day. But before Ren could head on out, Yusuke stopped him. "Could I have a moment?" she asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ren replied. "What's up?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, it's..." Yusuke started to say, looking a bit fidgety. "I had a yearning to see Sayuri. So, if you're heading homeward, I'll accompany you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay," Ren agreed. He could use the leisurely company.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Yusuke sat at a booth, Ren proceeded to make a cup of coffee for her. As he did so, he overheard her sigh.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The Sayuri..." Yusuke said. "It seems to suit this cafe quite well. I'm glad I chose to leave it here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">However, Ren noticed Yusuke looked a bit sad. She also tucked her hair behind her ear, a habit that seemed to relate to her personal gender-related struggles. While she didn't do that a lot after accepting her true gender, she still did that on occasion. What was bothering her?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you feeling okay?" Ren checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ren... I fear I have found myself in quite a horrible mess!" Yusuke suddenly confessed. "To put it bluntly, I am in need of a listening ear... Please, listen to what I must say."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," Ren replied. "What's wrong?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's about the dorms at my school," Yusuke explained. "Despite my insistence, I was nearly forced into the male dorms. Had it not been for the kindness of a fellow student, who offered to let me be her roommate, I would have been forced into an uncomfortable environment. Though I appreciate her for the assistance, there are those at Kosei who still call me a man. Being in such an environment has also affected my skills in art. The more I try to escape these personal struggles, the worse it becomes. It seems I have become trapped in what we in the art world call a 'slump'..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You said you found a roommate who helped you out," Ren pointed out. "Maybe you can ask her for help."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That would be impossible," Yusuke explained. "Between her frequent shogi matches and studies, she barely has any free time. Besides, she and I attend different classes."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I remember you saying you have a fine arts scholarship at Kosei," Ren recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That is correct," Yusuke confirmed. "However, such coveted grants are not given as charity. I must continually achieve within my field to remain eligible. Were I to lose my scholarship...I would likely have no choice but to leave the school as well."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Do you have any ways to break out of slumps?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That has never happened to me before," Yusuke explained. "In the early days of my career, I would exclusively paint what I desired, when I desired it. The only goal I had in mind was the pursuit of pure beauty. That goal is what drove me onward. I wanted nothing more than to attain the lustrous allure of Sayuri in my own work. And yet...my initial definition beauty was scattered when I saw my bare reflection in Madarame's Palace." She looked at her hand. "I was unaware my own body possessed raw beauty that even outshined Sayuri. At first I had vowed to change myself so I can share my beauty outside the Metaverse. But after the disastrous results with trying to change my uniform and living in the female dorms, I realized it might be tricker than I had anticipated."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You seem stressed," Ren commented, giving Yusuke her preferred coffee blend.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My apologies," Yusuke said. "It seems I got somewhat carried away there. But I-I simply cannot accept this unfortunate circumstance that has fallen upon me. That is why I am so upset with how a change in perspective has affected my work. Such vague ambition caused by such a transformation is, in essence, a sin of sorts.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Though I suppose allowing my young career to come to an end here would be even more sinful. I only with to create works of art I can genuinely be proud of, both on canvas and with my own body. Just look at Sayuri. Her incandescent figure, alluring gaze... That is the meaning of pure beauty! Yet even after I saw my own beauty, I realized how impossible it is to truly replicate it, let alone show it to the world!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because of how people won't accept your true self?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It is more than that," Yusuke clarified. "The soul of the painter behind the work differs! But...if my estimations are correct, the soul is nothing but another way to speak of the human heart. What, then, is the heart? How does it bring forth such beauty? I-I must understand!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Have you figured out how to do that?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"To be perfectly frank...I am unsure of how to do so," Yusuke confessed. "Ren... Would you be able to provide me assistance? You have already brought profound change to my world. Hence, I believe you of all people may be able to bring me closer to the truth."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I already said I would talk to you," Ren pointed out. "I'd be glad to help."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You would?!" Yusuke happily exclaimed. "Wonderful! At the moment, my art teacher has yet to notice any drastic changes in my work. But I cannot hide forever. Impurity of the heart will undoubtedly seep onto an artist's canvas eventually."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry," Ren reassured. "The next time you need help, give me a call and-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Ren was cut off by an unexpected notification. With the same sound coming from Yusuke's phone, the two responded to the text.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">So I checked online, and people are talking about it all over. Now, in my expert opinion, Iida of class 2-D is guilty.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">You mean Iida-kun from our class?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I think so. I remember hearing his name during roll call.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Wait, start at the beginning. What's he guilty of?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Supposedly he's been spending money left and right recently. Said it's cause of some great part-time job he got.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I see. That may very well be worth looking into.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Right? Can you try asking him about it, Ann? I don't think he'd be cautious around a girl.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">In that case, yeah. I don't mind giving it a try. Although I've rarely talked to Iida-kun before... I'll be counting on you to back me up if something happens, Ren.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Sure. I got your back.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Thanks, that's a huge help.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Why do I have the feeling something's going to go horribly wrong?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Don't sweat it, Pixie! I'm hoping for some great things from Ann's world-class wonderful acting.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Shut it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I hope this will get us even marginally closer to their so-called boss. I leave this Iida to you two. And I have high hopes for your acting as well, Ann.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">You're both missing the point!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke looked surprised by that outburst. "Why do you suppose Ann acted hostile towards that comment?" she wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not sure," Ren answered. "But given how Ryuji mentioned her acting skills, I think it has to do with an inside joke between them."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0098"><h2>98. Gathering Intel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The team uncovers the unusual stuff going on in Shujin.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, while walking to school, Ren overheard a conversation between two girls.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't you think all that blackmail stuff is insane? I didn't think it had anything to do with me, but there are even victims in my class!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oooh, I know all about that! These guys supposedly come asking if you want an easy, high-paying job. But then if you say yes, you get dragged into some real shady stuff. The teachers or student council prez'll do something about it though. People're real worried."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, are you talking about that posting? I wonder if she was serious about it... I heard she knew about Kamoshida and the sexual harassment. She prolly won't be too much help.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">That morning, Ren received a update from Ryuji during homeroom.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That Iida guy's here.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'll try and ask him about it.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'll stick around just in case.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Thanks, Ren! Just leave it to me!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That level of motivation actually makes me a little more nervous...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Why? You said Ann is a good actor, hee-ho.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You'll see.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">In any case, let us know if you learn anything.</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">"Nijima-kun, what is going on here?! Apparently the damage done by this so-called mafia has even reached our student body!"</p><p class="p2">"Well..."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I thought this absurdity was nothing but a joke! Not only are there victims, there are even rumors that some are involved with such crimes! I've even received inquiries from their guardians! Why is this happening?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"U-Unfortunately, I do not have the answer to that..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is greatest disgrace in the history of this academy! If we were to be discovered..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is a vital issue for the student council! Did I not ask you to resolve it?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I'm...doing the best I can."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And I can trust you?! You must do something about this at once! You're the only one who is reliable around here! Don't let me down!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">...</p><p class="p2">"From what I've heard, even the other students are starting to be dissatisfied with you. At this rate, you and I will both lose our roles at this school. Do you understand?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I do. Please, just give me a little more time..."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Once classes were done for the day, Ren swapped phones with Ann before she went to talk to Iida. With Pixie listening in on the conversation, she could tell Ren what they were saying. So while Ann and Iida were talking, Ren stayed in his seat and took out Ann's phone.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What are they saying?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Let's see... Ann is telling Iida that she needs money. And now she's resorted to begging to get information about this supposed part-time job. I don't think he's buying it. I don't blame him. She sounds kind of flat...</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That didn't sound good. "I better-" Ren started to say.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">No wait, Iida thinks Ann doesn't need his help to get a job. And... Oh wow. He's pulled the sexism card. Now she's stammering. Oh geez, this is getting us nowhere!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're right," Morgana agreed. "This is going south fast."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hang on. Now Ann is talking about some cat named Francois. Apparently he was run over by a car and had an incurable illness. Looks like she's using that as her reason to get money.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is she talking about me...?" Morgana wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're the only ones who can hear you," Ren pointed out. "Maybe she got the idea from your outburst."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Huh. Looks like that sick cat story worked. Iida is finally responding. And he...mentioned someone named Nishiyama. He kinda sounds nervous, so that must be a key person.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we need to find this Nishiyama fellow," Morgana concluded. "We should try looking around the school to see where he is."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Or I could ask someone who might actually know him," Ren decided as he sent a quick text to a certain someone.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Where's Nishiyama?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Nishiyama? He usually hangs out with Iida.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That doesn't help. I want to ask him about Iida.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So that's why Takamaki-san was chasing him. I'm sorry, I don't know where Nishiyama is right now. He usually stays till late, so I think he's probably still somewhere in the school. I'll keep digging around while you're looking for him.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That didn't help," Morgana realized. "We'll have to ask someone else-"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Wait a sec! I overheard Iida mentioning something about meeting up with Nishiyama at the library! That must be where he is!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thanks Pixie," Ren said. "Mishima said he stays late, so he's probably still there."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">When Ren arrived at the library, he spotted a boy looking at his phone. Curious, he walked over to him. "Are you Nishiyama?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's me," the boy confirmed. "You're...that weird transfer student, right? You need something?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What happened to Iida?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Nishiyama looked surprised. "How do you know about that?" he asked in response. "Are you doing something to him?! He's been acting really strange lately."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I only want to help him," Ren reassured.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wh-What do you mean?" Nishiyama stammered. "Is he really wrapped up in something shady?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just tell me what you know," Ren insisted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, all right..." Nishiyama complied. "One day the two of us went to Shibuya, and a man approached us over near Central Street. He asked if we were interested in an easy part-time job. I said I wasn't, but Iida was into it. He was asking the guy all sorts of questions."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What was this job?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"U-Um, I don't know..." Nishiyama admitted. "I was so scared I ended up going home alone. But according to Iida, it only takes ten minutes and is good for people who don't stand out."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What happened after that?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Iida started spending a lot of money," Nishiyama revealed. "That's when his strange behavior began too. But that's all I know. That's enough, right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It is," Ren replied. "Thank you."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">As soon as Ren left the library, he received a surprise text from Yusuke.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Have you found out anything, Ren?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">A bit. How are things going on your end?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I have tried looking into this high-paying part-time job myself. Unfortunately, it seems no one at Kosei was targeted. But it seems a few of my classmates know some information from what they heard about Shujin students. Supposedly a man will talk to you in broad daylight over on Central Street and your job is to deliver a small envelope he hands you.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Thanks. That's helpful.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You are quite welcome. I will contact you again if I learn anything more.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With nearly all of the information revealed, Ren thought about it for a few minutes. This job is crime-related, takes ten minutes, is good for people who don't stand out, and involves a small envelope. And given that this was the mafia in charge of this job, that could only mean one thing...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Drugs," Ren blurted out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Like illegal drugs...?" Morgana checked. "You think they made Iida smuggle drugs for them?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It makes sense," Ren explained. "Drugs are small enough to fit inside a small envelope and someone could get arrest for possession." He switched to the group chat. "How's Ann doing, Pixie?"</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You gotta get back here! She's back to sobbing over Francois again!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm on it," Ren replied. He wasted no time to head back to his classroom. It was time to confront Iida about his new job.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0099"><h2>99. Pizza Smuggler?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Because as much as I really like <a href="https://youtu.be/Gy529TLdMeM">the pizza dialogue option</a>, it feels like something Yu Narukami would say instead of Ren.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please tell me about the job!" Ann exclaimed. "Or else my beloved Francois...!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily for Ann, Ren just so happened to enter the classroom. "Can you tell us the truth?" he asked Iida.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Amamiya?!" Iida yelped. "Come on, you too? I already told Takamaki, I don't know."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But I have proof," Ren explained, discreetly switch back phones with Ann. "Nishiyama told me everything."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He did?!" Iida panicked. "That bastard... Dammit!" He paused. "Shit... Well, if you already know about it, fine..." He quickly glanced at Ann. "But I don't want to talk about it here. Let's go somewhere a little quieter."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">Iida led Ren and Ann to the roof's entrance. "What's up with you two?" he asked. "Especially in front of everyone..."</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you'll finally tell us about your job?" Ann asked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, I got a job," Iida confirmed. "So what? Isn't that normal? What're you getting at?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But you're a drug smuggler," Ren pointed out. "That doesn't sound like a normal job."</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">That surprised Iida. "H-How do you...?" he stammered. "I've only told one person about that... Of all people, I can't believe you were the one to find out..."</p>
<p class="p2">"Drug smuggling?!" Ann panicked. "Why would you do that?!"</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I didn't have a choice!" Iida explained. "They told me they had an easy part-time job for me, and I ended up smuggling drugs. All I had to do was put envelopes into coin lockers and they said they'd give me a hefty paycheck. I didn't know what was in the envelopes though! Still, this is what came out of it..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you being threatened?" Ren checked, thinking back to Makoto's words.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you knew, huh?" Iida asked in response. "They started threatening me right after they deposited the money into my bank account. They had pictures of me carrying the goods. Said they'd expose what I did unless I paid them off." He looked over at Ann. "You should look somewhere else for that Francois of yours. Girls who ended up in this part-time job end up worse."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why's that?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Dunno," Iida admitted. "Just stay away from Central Street. You're both better off not getting involved."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">After parting ways with Iida, Ann and Ren received a text from Ryuji.</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">How'd it go? Did Ann's acting help at all? I'm thinking prolly not.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It went perfectly, I think!</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Tell that to Francois.</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pixie!" Ann shouted, feeling embarrassed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Lol!</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We found out this part-time job is drug trafficking.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So they ask you to deliver drugs...</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That's serious. I just searched for "Shibuya drugs" and got a ton of hits too.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What's a drug, hee-ho? It kind of sounds like bad stuff, hee-ho.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sigh... That's because it IS bad stuff.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Oh. That's not good, hee-ho.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It's more than just drug smuggling. They're threatening the people who accept the job.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That must be what I heard people talking about in Shibuya. They seem to be going about this quite openly during the daytime. What bold methodology.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I would've imagined they would do it at night. I wonder why they chose the day.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yusuke told me they're specifically targeting Shujin students. Maybe they're trying to pick out targets from their uniforms.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I see. Yes, more students will be out during the day, while the police will be more cautious at night.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Ryuji, you're over in Shibuya now, right? Do you see anyone like that there?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, I'm at Central Street. It's tough to tell though. I mean, there're just way too many people. The goddamn rain's not helping out either.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">The sun will be setting soon. What should we do, Ren?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We'll have to resume things tomorrow.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, that seems like our only choice now. We can split up and search separately then.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">In any case, we have some new intel. Let us call that progress for today.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I don't. We didn't get a name. How can we call that progress?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Because whoever asks us to take on that job should know who their boss is too.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">All right, I'll get in touch with you guys later tonight and we can come up with a plan.</span></p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the text conversation concluded, Ann proceeded to head back into the school. "Why are you going back in?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You said these mafia guys are targeting Shujin students," Ann recalled. "I was going to get a spare school uniform for Yusuke-chan."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren caught on to Ann's plan. "You're going to disguise her as a Shujin student?" he checked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yep!" Ann happily confirmed. "By the time I'm done, she'll be completely unrecognizable!"</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1">Later that evening, before helping Sojiro out at LeBlanc, Ren decided to go over tomorrow's plan with the others.</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Does everyone remember the plan?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We have to find them tomorrow for sure. This is the only lead we have right now.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yes. It is highly likely that this part-time solicitor is somehow related to the mafia. If we tail him, he may lead us straight back to his boss.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">He talked to Iida and Nishiyama over at Central Street, right?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Apparently so. Everyone's talking about Central Street.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It seems that is where our target waits. But then...who should be the one to go?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Leave it to me. Pixie will transcribe any conversation to you, so keep the group chat on.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yeah, that's prolly the best idea. Ann'd stand out too much.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'll take that as a compliment.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I have no objections. We'll leave this to you, Ren. Tricking people and using that as blackmail... These bastards are true cowards.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It's kinda scary to think people like that are all around us in this city...</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Well guys, we gotta brace ourselves. We're up against a serious criminal here.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I know. We can't fail this mission.</span></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0100"><h2>100. Why Just Shujin?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>There’s something unusual going on with this so-called mafia...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, during the train ride to school, Ren couldn't stop thinking about their plan. He was worried about what might happen after school, and the latest train news did nothing to help calm him down.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shady drug deals in Shibuya! Is the same organization behind both this and the extortions? Alongside the phishing scams that have been on the rise, this may be their source of funding."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Restaurant factory fire! A worker from the restaurant giant Haneruya was arrested for arson. Though he admits to the charges, he claims to not know why he did it. This industry is raising eyebrows."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh yeah, something weird happened in food service before, right?" Morgana remembered. "Some employee cooking naked... With all these extortions and scams, this world's really messed up."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The conversation Ren overheard between a few students didn't help, either.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I saw Nijima arguing with the principal about the mafia or...something. What was that all about?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hear her older sister's involved with the investigation. Maybe she's just trying to play detective, too."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you kidding me? I can't handle a student council president with no focus!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once school was finally over, Ren headed over to the karaoke bar. To his surprise, only Ryuji was in their usual booth. Where were Ann and Yusuke?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Mkay, we're all here," Ryuji said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That statement only confused Ren. "Are you sure?" he checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, Ann and Yusuke came a while ago," Ryuji explained. "They had to use the bathroom. Dunno why, though."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As if on cue, Ann came back with a big smile on her face. "It's done!" she announced.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh? What is?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, you'll see..." Ann teased. She glanced towards the door. "Okay, you can come in!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What came into the booth surprised both Ren and Ryuji. It was a girl wearing the default Shujin summer uniform: a white polo shirt and denim skirt with the suspenders worn up, white knee-high socks, and black loafers. The only dead giveaway on this girl's identity was her familiar short blue hair, with her sideswept bangs combed down to cover the left side of her face.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whoa..." Ryuji muttered. "You look awesome!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke smiled softly. "Thank you," she replied. "Ann helped me out with the clothing choice and hairstyle. She had also suggested makeup, but I refused on account of makeup on an ordinary student would be suspicious."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You sure?" Ann checked. "I bet you would look amazing with some blush and mascara!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Perhaps some other time," Yusuke decided.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"As much as I would like to talk about Yusuke's progress, we still have a mission," Ren pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right..." Ann agreed. "There are a lot of high schoolers during the day. They must be targeting Shujin students somehow."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Although I am now dressed like a Shujin student, finding the specifics may be difficult," Yusuke added. "With such a crowd, the odds are against us."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We have to do this," Ren insisted. "For our identities and for Shujin."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right!" Ryuji agreed. "We're gonna grab 'em by the tail!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll head over to Central Street, just like we planned," Ren said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sweet, let's get goin'!" Ryuji chimed in. "Lemme know if you find any shady people."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took out his phone. "Make sure you get any suspicious conversations," he informed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Don't worry, I got this! Just leave the transcribing stuff to me!</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Over on Central Street, Ren was about to start investigating when he unfortunately crossed paths with Makoto. "Are you investigating here with your friends today?" she checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We are," Ren confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I hope something comes of it," Makoto insisted. "I'll be counting on you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After that seemingly pointless conversation, Morgana looked concerned. "Is she following us?" he wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think so..." Ren suspected. It almost felt like she had to make sure they were working on this mafia boss. But why?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With those thoughts brushed aside for now, Ren started searching for any illegal activity. However, he didn't have to look that much because a peculiar group caught his eye. It looked like two male students were confronted by a pair of shady-looking men.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, aren't you interested in all the hottest brand names? We're having a special sale just over there. How 'bout you go take a peek?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We ordered way too much, so I have a ton left over. My boss’s kill me if I go back to him with all these extras. Look, I'll sell 'em to you for cheap. Whaddya say?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What should we do?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It depends on the price, wouldn't you say?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Ren could walk off, the pierced man noticed him. "Hey, what about you?" he called out. "These are unforgivable deals."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No thanks," Ren turned down, deliberately averting his gaze. "I'm not interested."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well that's disappointed," the pierced man responded. "Come back if you change your mind."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the conversation resumed, Ren decided to inform everyone about his progress.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Keep alert, everyone. I think Nijima is monitoring us.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Is she keeping an eye on us?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I think so. It feels like she's making sure we actually change this mafia boss' heart.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I guess she's curious about all of this.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Well let's just ignore her if she's not getting in our way.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">So how are things going on your end?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Nothing so far. I'm going to try staking out the underground walkway.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Then I'll check around the Inogami Line. I guess I'll get there from the underground.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I will gather some more intel in the underground shopping mall as well. Please continue on your end, Ren.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I'll try.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana let out a meowing laugh upon noticing the text conversation. "Everyone's really going about this seriously," he complimented. "You're definitely worthy of being phantom thieves."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Ren noticed a nearby homeless man shouting and waving a sign. "If someone asks if you want a part-time job, don't do it!" he exclaimed, shaking a money cup as he did so. "They'll squeeze every last penny out of you with threats and extortion! Some of my friends have fallen victim to their schemes! That mafia is evil, I tell you!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren walked over to the homeless man. "What's that about a part-time job?" he checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't even think about it!" the homeless man shouted. "They'll come to you eventually if you walk around this area around now! But just so you know who to avoid, I'll teach you how to tell them apart from normal people. They use some weird phrases. Code words, you know. That's how they communicate with each other. Anyway, watch out if you hear any of that stuff. They'll try to come for you during the day. They're relentless when it comes to targeting teens, especially ones who dress like you. Just be lucky you're not a girl. Worse things happen to them!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Ren replied. "I'll keep an eye out for that suspicious activity."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, Ren received a text from Ann.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">How's it going? Have you found anything?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Maybe a little. I met someone who told me anyone working for the mafia uses unusual phrases.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Ah, so you've grasped something already. As to be expected of someone like you, Ren.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Did any of you find anything as well?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">Maybe... Supposedly some guy near the accessway's talking about some kinda strong drugs. I'm not counting on anything, but I'll go check it out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">As for me, I heard about someone soliciting a high-paying job in the station plaza. Apparently they're mostly targeting girls. I'll go see what it's about.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">On my end, I heard there are people saying strange things in the back alley near the arcade. Something about ice and vegetables, and something about snow tomorrow... I will go observe, just in case. The arcade is on Central Street, correct?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">REN:<br/></span>
  <span class="s1">I think it is. Good luck, everyone.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We should do what we can to help them out," Morgana suggested. "I have no idea which of these leads are real. Try going to the most suspicious-sounding place."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That might take a while," Ren replied. He pushed up his glasses. "They all sound suspicious."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you're going to check all of them?!" Morgana realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pretty much," Ren confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Morgana groaned. "This is going to be a drag..."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0101"><h2>101. Yusuke's Struggles</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Being a transgender person in Japan isn’t easy.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Most of the places ended up becoming false alarms. What Ann heard as a high-paying job for girls turned out to be for a music video, while the drug Ryuji heard about was actually for hair growth. Plus he was caught up in helping an elderly woman with directions, so he couldn't do much at the moment. All that was left was to check in with Yusuke. She mentioned something about snow tomorrow, but how could that be when it's June?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Unfortunately, by the time Ren arrived in Central Street, he noticed Yusuke was having some trouble with a cop.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was simply wondering where the arcade is," the bluenette said. "I'll be going soon."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Arcade...?" the cop repeated. "You're a high school student, aren't you? You'd better not be looking for trouble. All kinds of shady activity happens at arcades."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What are you talking about?" Yusuke wondered. "It's nothing more than a place you go to play games-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And what's with the drag?" the cop suddenly asked. "Are you one of those Shinjuku weirdos?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke was caught off guard by those unexpected questions. "Drag...?" she repeated. "I don't know what that means. I am a normal teenage girl."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're not fooling me," the cop dismissed. "Go back to where you belong, you freak."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sensing Yusuke's discomfort, Ren decided to step in. "Come on," he said, grabbing the bluenette's hand. "Let's get going."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When the two were far enough from the cop, Yusuke let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you," she said. "I wasn't sure what to do until you arrived."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He had no right to treat you like that," Ren replied. "Don't listen to him. You're a beautiful girl."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If only everyone else could see that..." Yusuke sighed. "Ever since I discovered my true self, people have told me the same thing, even after I vowed to change my appearance. If only there was some way I could show others who I really am..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">An idea popped into Ren's head. "We can stop by Mementos," he offered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke gasped. "Of course!" she exclaimed. "I can get a better look at my body in Mementos and use that as a reference! I'll also have the added bonus of painting the nude portrait I have desired! Yes, we must go there immediately!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Just as the bluenette was about to activate the MetaNav on her phone, Ren quickly grabbed her wrist. "After the investigation," he corrected.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Of course," Yusuke realized. "We should head over to the arcade-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Maybe I should find a new job. You know any opportunities for making money quick?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's gaze shifted over to two nearby men. "Hold on," the dark-haired teen said. He silently gestured over to the men, getting a sneaky suspicion from them.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean like those sneaky guys in the back alleys? You'd prolly have to swindle some kids."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"God, I could never be a pusher. I don't want to get arrested."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That surprised Yusuke. "You don't think...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren nodded in response. "We have to go there," he decided.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">When the two arrived at one of the alleys, they tried to find anyone suspicious. But so far there didn't seem to be any-</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hello."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came from Makoto. "Have you made any progress toward finding the boss?" she demanded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's none of your business," Ren snapped. He was starting to get fed up with Makoto constantly checking in on the team's progress.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I take it that means no," Makoto assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please excuse Ren," Yusuke spoke up. "He doesn't appreciate your frequent stalking."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Makoto could respond, she gave Yusuke a once-over. "Is something the matter?" the bluenette asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that...Kitagawa?" Makoto checked. "Why are you wearing that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It was Ann's idea," Yusuke explained. "Since this mafia only targets Shujin students, dressing the part might help attract the right attention."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, that's not what I meant," Makoto corrected. "Why are you-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, you got some time? I have a great job for you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came from a sleezy guy who was walking over to the three. "It's real easy," he continued. "Guess you could call it a delivery job."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It seems we didn't have to look very hard in the end," Makoto realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're high schoolers, yeah?" the sleezy guy checked. "Don't you want something more than just your allowances?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It depends," Makoto answered. "What kind of delivery job is it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I ain't talking to you, missy," the sleezy guy revealed.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right..." Makoto muttered. "My apologies..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So how about it?" the sleezy guy asked, looking over in Yusuke's direction. "You've got a cute face. Why waste it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke looked alarm. "I-I..." she stammered, averting her eyes from this unusual man.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Same goes for you, Mop Top," the sleezy guy told Ren. "It's a quick job and you'll get cash right away."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Does in involve drugs?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The sleezy man looked surprised. "What makes you say that?" he asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because if it is, I'll call the cops on you," Ren threatened.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Oh..." Makoto gasped.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The sleezy man scoffed in response. "Never mind, I can't hang," he decided. "Seeya!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Um... If you don't want to deal with us, we could always go see your boss ourselves," Makoto suggested.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're really gonna say that, knowing who he is?" the sleezy man asked. "No way I believe that. Well, I'm outta here. You're annoying me, missy." With that, he turned and let the alley.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"He's part of the mafia we're looking for," Makoto assumed.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm amazed you figured it out," Ren commented. "How were you able to do that without proof?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh... Just a hunch," Makoto answered. "So why is Kitagawa wearing a female Shujin uniform?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke didn't respond. "Because she's comfortable wearing it," Ren explained, not sugarcoating the truth.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She...?" Makoto repeated in shock. It took her a few seconds to realize what that meant. "I see... You're a transgender girl. You were born a boy, but you want to be a girl instead."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"How did you-" Yusuke started to say.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're not the only one who has gender identity struggles in Japan," Makoto explained. "I heard about transgender people who have been fighting to get proper recognition. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone else."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Th-Thank you..." Yusuke replied, sounding relieved.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well then, I'm going to go now," Makoto said. "Good luck with your investigation."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once Makoto left, Morgana popped out of Ren's bag. "That boss seems tricky," the not-cat commented. "It looks like he taught his subordinates well, too. No wonder the police are having trouble catching him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We should tell Ryuji and Ann about what happened," Ren suggested as he took out his phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I agree," Yusuke replied while she did the same.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yusuke and I just met up with someone who might be working for the mafia. He kept on asking if we were interested in a part-time job, only to step down when I mentioned the police.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">He appeared to be flirting with me, so it seems he was mostly interested in me.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Should we meet up to discuss this?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Of course. Let's do it.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Do you think it's safe though? We did ask tons of people, so there's a chance we're getting followed.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What, you think we should stop asking people?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Of course not. Just to be safe, we should refrain from doing anything to make ourselves stand out. It's bad enough I caught a few nasty glares from onlookers. The sun will be setting soon, so let us disband for today and report our findings tomorrow.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Okay. See you are the karaoke bar tomorrow.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before Ren could head home, Yusuke stopped him. "Wait," she said. "Could we...stop by Mementos before we part ways? I want to sketch out a base for my nude portrait."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course," Ren agreed. Anything to help his painter friend.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Once Ren and Yusuke arrived in Mementos (with Pixie and Jack Frost tagging along), the bluenette wasted no time getting to work. "Goemon, I summon you!" she exclaimed as she took off her mask.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The white and red fox mask dissolved into blue flames as Goemon materialized. He blew a gust of icy air at one of the walls, creating an ice mirror of sorts. With the reflective surface created, Yusuke proceeded to take off her thief attire. But Ren, given the gentleman that he is, looked away...much to the artist's confusion.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why do you avert your gaze?" Yusuke wondered. "The slender curves of my hips, the smooth texture of my skin... This is the utmost peak of pure feminine beauty! Surely one is meant to look upon it in all its bare glory!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But you're a girl," Ren pointed out, keeping in mind that he was talking to someone who was raised in semi-isolation. "It would be inappropriate."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." Yusuke replied. "Well no matter. I must use this perfection as a reference!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next thing Ren heard was the sound of pencil movements on paper. For those of you who are wondering, he and Yusuke had to stop by the Kosei dorms to pick up her art supplies. As a result, the young artist had the necessary tools to work on her next painting.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why a nude portrait?" Ren asked after a few minutes of silence.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The human body has always been fascinating to me," Yusuke answered as she sketched. "Seeing it in such a vulnerable state can draw out allure and intrigue from even the toughest of critics. Seeing people become captivated by this raw beauty inspired me to create my own naked masterpiece. I had thought Ann would be the muse I had been searching for, but I was clearly mistaken. And I owe it all to you, Ren."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is this about the whole 'dragging you into Mementos' thing," Ren checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not even close," Yusuke corrected. "It was when I first saw your eyes. They were the most beautiful things I had ever seen. That beauty even outshined Sayuri, making me realize I was only seeing things from the surface. Where true beauty comes from is the human heart. It is that concept that made me realize the source of my slump. In that other dimension, I saw the perversion of Madarame's heart. At that moment, the art realm I had so much faith in was distorted by greed and unchecked desires. That is when the true ugliness of the world became clear to me. And from that point forward, my brush has been stained by crippling hesitation.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"But...have my thoughts been tainted after being exposed to such ugliness? Does pure beauty truly exist? And if so. Can hands tainted by Madarame's depravity capture it? Considering such intense questions only served to distance me from reality. Doubt filled my mind. I struggled to find a reason to move my brush again. And honestly...I still have yet to discover a suitable answer." She paused. "What's the matter? Have you been overcome by an urge to paint?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No," Ren answered. "Are you almost done? I don't want to get caught off guard by a sudden attack."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Please, do not rush me," Yusuke disagreed. "I only need a little more time..." She carefully looked at her reflection. "Hm, the lingering uncertainty in this place seems to be sharpening my senses. I feel a revelation approaching." She let out a hearty laugh. "Yes! Inspiration has struck! I now have a clear visual on my ideal nude portrait! Ah, my heart races!"</p><p class="p2">Suddenly, a few blobby Shadows materialized in front of Ren. "Can you hurry it up?" he asked. "We've got company!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not now," Yusuke scolded. "Can't you tell I have been inspired? I must continue this without any interruptions!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren sighed. "Looks like we're have to take care of these Shadows," he told Pixie and Jack Frost. "Think you can back me up?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"No problem!" Pixie replied, cracking her knuckles. "Now let's take care of these weaklings!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hee-ho!" Jack Frost cheered as he charged into battle.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0102"><h2>102. The Inside Scoop</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The mafia is not what it seems.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Luckily for Ren, the invading Shadows were relatively weak, allowing him, Pixie, and Jack Frost to take care of them within a few minutes. By the time they were finished, Yusuke was properly dressed, indicating she had finished her sketch.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I apologize for not assisting you," the bluenette said. "It seems I've become too passionate. I'm glad you were here to make sure my work wasn't disturbed. You have my thanks. You're like Theo."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What are you talking about?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was referring to Van Gogh's brother, Theo," Yusuke clarified. "Van Gogh did not achieve fame in his lifetime, but found an admirer and supporter in his brother."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A supporter?" Ren repeated. "What about the other students in Kosei?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, there aren't many who are willing to deal with my...eccentricity," Yusuke revealed. "Coming out as a woman didn't help, either. In fact, that caused other students to hate me even more. It was a surprise to find out there was one person in school who supported me. But even then, she's busy with her own things."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what did you come up with?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p2">Instead of using words, Yusuke responded by showing Ren her sketch. Like she said, it was a nude self-portrait, but her back was facing the front and she was looking over her shoulder with her arms crossing her chest. The dark-haired teen was amazed. It was a beautiful picture despite it being a rough draft.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you think?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's captivating," Ren complimented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Yusuke replied, flattered by those words. "Soon enough, my slump will be a thing of the past. Ren, would you mind helping me further? If I can overcome this slump, I can overcome my personal struggles as well."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"I don't mind helping you out," Ren decided.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Great," Yusuke said. "I promise your returns will be well worth your cooperation. I'll finish my nude portrait back at the dorm. I'll contact you once it's done."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Back in the real world, Yusuke looked at her hand. She frowned slightly, already missing her Metaverse body once more. Ren took note on that. "Are you feeling alright?" he checked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh... Of course," Yusuke answered, although her face said otherwise. "Thank you for all your assistance today. You helped me discover some truly wonderful inspiration. I must say... When I had decided to paint a nude portrait, I never expected I would use my own body as a model. I promise to create the most elegant self-portrait the world has ever seen. Now, we should be heading back. I have to apply the finishing touches as soon as possible!" She smiled softly. "For the first time in a long while, my brush will dance again."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That evening, while Ren was preparing for his nightly trip to the bathhouse, his phone rang. But upon checking the caller ID, it was blank. Despite feeling a bit unsure, he answered it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hello, Amamiya-kun? This is Nijima. Makoto Nijima... Thanks for earlier."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How'd you get my number?" Ren demanded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I...dug it up," Makoto answered. "I realize I'm apologizing after the fact, but...it just didn't feel right, keeping it from you. That's all. Bye."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren looked surprised as he hung up. "Why would she do that?" he wondered. Despite the confusion, he picked up his bag and left the attic. But before he headed out, he was stopped by Sojiro.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Bathhouse again?" Sojiro checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Like I do every night," Ren confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"By the way, some girl called looking for you around noon. Said she's the class president. Said she's got something that belongs to you. She seemed to know you, so I gave her your number."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That news surprised Ren. Given what Sojiro said, it sounded like Makoto looked LeBlanc's address while trying to contact him. Was she really that obsessed with changing this mafia boss' heart?</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, while waiting for the train, Ren was approached by someone he actually does like. "So, we meet again," Akechi said. "But my, what murky weather we're having. Speaking of murky...there haven't been any new developments in the phantom thief incidents. If they go so far as using calling cards to get attention, I doubt Madarame's case will be the last. What kind of target will they choose next? What do you think?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Either a crooked politician or a criminal," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The Phantom Thieves of Hearts only target criminals, huh..." Akechi replied. "Is that really true? Supposing it is, there are plenty of villains in the world. How do they choose who to go after?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They would probably have to decide their targets by talking it out among themselves," Ren said, trying to sound ambiguous.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Oh, sorry," Akechi unexpectedly apologized. "I'm getting lost in my own head. I have to stay on top on any Phantom Thieves of Hearts activity due to what I said on the air. It has gotten so bad that I have decided to destress once in a while through various activities. If you hear any rumors at school, I hope you can let me know."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I will," Ren confirmed with a nod.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">When school was done for the day, the team met up at their usual booth at the karaoke bar to discuss the information they gathered yesterday. Unfortunately, it seemed only Ren was able to make actual progress.</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Aw, for real?!" Ryuji groaned. "We didn't get anything?!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"I think I was able to get some information," Ren corrected. "So far I was able to confirm that what we heard about is true. This mafia boss hand-picked Shujin students and seem to favor girls more than guys."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann was about to respond, but she was momentarily distracted by two people singing nearby, one male and one female. From what she heard, it sounded like they were singing the theme song for...Phoenix Ranger Feathermen?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They sound pretty good..." Ann commented. Yet why did one of the voices sound familiar?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Even with your new information, it feels like we're gettin' nowhere with this..." Ryuji told Ren. "Can't we ask Miss President to change it up?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mean...change our target?" Ann guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We just gotta show our justice to satisfy her, right?" Ryuji continued. "There are tons of shitty adults in this world. It's not like it matters who we're goin' after. She says this is for the students, but I bet it's just so she can go brag about it on college apps." He took out his phone. "I bet Tsuda's got his own Palace..."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Wait, Ryuji," Ren warned. He thought back to how that sleezy guy behaved when Makoto talked to him. "I think she might have her reasons. We should play along for now until we get more information."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Plus that mafia's stealing money from kids," Ann chimed in. "We can't just accept that! It doesn't matter who the target came from anymore."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ann's right," Yusuke agreed. "We want to give courage to the weak. Isn't this the perfect target to accomplish that goal?" She then looked over where the two supposed singers were. "They really are wonderful singers..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Dunno why they chose that song..." Ryuji spoke up. "Anyways, I'm sure we'll shut Akechi up if we pull this off, but-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's exactly why we should do it," Yusuke interrupted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It all comes down to intel in the end..." Morgana pointed out. "If we don't start finding tips on that front, we'll never get any further than this."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There has to be someone who has what we need," Yusuke said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">An idea popped into Ren's head. "What about the media?" he suggested.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...That's right!" Ann realized. "What about that journalist?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's phone beeped, prompting him to take him out.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You mean that woman who asked you about Madarame a while ago?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's the one," Ren confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh yeahhh, I completely forgot about her!" Ryuji admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What journalist, hee-ho?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It happened before we met you," Morgana explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Oh. That makes sense, hee-ho.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think I still have her card," Ren revealed. Sure enough, he took it out of his bag and showed it to the others. It read 'Ichiko Ohya of Maiasa Newspaper'.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is for a rather major publication," Yusuke commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You think we can trust her?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We don't have any other options," Ren pointed out. He proceeded to send a text message to her regarding their current problem. "All that's left to do is wait for a response."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let us know ASAP when she responds!" Ryuji said. "Got it, RenRen?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I will," Ren replied. Hopefully they'll get in touch with her before Makoto's deadline...</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">That evening, over at the Nijima residence, Makoto had finally come home, only to see her sister, Sae, on a laptop. Before the younger sister could head to her room to study, she was stopped by an unexpected statement.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I received a call from your school today," Sae informed. "They were asking if you've made any lifestyle changes recently."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh?" Makoto muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I gave them a suitable enough answer, but...is there some kind of issue at school?" Sae asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No!" Makoto blurted out. Realizing what she said, she nervously cleared her throat. "I-I mean... Of course not. It's nothing. I'm sorry to worry you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You've been coming home late these days," Sae pointed out. "I doubt you would do such a thing, but try to avoid wandering around Shibuya late at night. I've heard stories of girls your age throwing their lives away out there. Getting wrapped up in shady deals, blackmailed into sex work..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Makoto clenched her fists and looked away from her sister. "I-I've heard...rumors about that as well," she replied. "People have been mentioning it at school."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"These aren't mere rumors," Sae corrected. "I know of a few such cases. But it should be nothing for you to worry about. Just concentrate on your studies for now."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course..." Makoto confirmed. "Like I always do..."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Have you finally figured it out? The truth is obvious if you look closer.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0103"><h2>103. Shinjuku</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shinjuku is somewhat of a special place in Tokyo.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Nothing much happened the next day. Ren spent most of it waiting for Ohya's response. Although he did hung out with Ryuji after school for some Palace training. A major difference that happened was that when the track team passed by, Ryuji did nothing more than give them a passing wave. It was a sign that he had officially moved on from his past group of friends.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But by the time Ren returned to LeBlanc, he received a surprise text from Ohya. Just like their first encounter, she requested to meet up at Crossroads in Shinjuku. His mind went back to what Ann said about that part of Tokyo.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s1">"I never went there myself, but I heard Shinjuku is dangerous for high school students. There are rumors about people being dragged into shady business and getting drugged by club hosts."</span> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing he didn't have any other options, Ren decided to let the others know about the meetup.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">The journalist responded. She insists on meeting up in Crossroads.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Shinjuku at night, eh?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That sounds rather dangerous.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">How come, hee-ho?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Dunno. I only go by what these humans say.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Where should we meet up?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Stand by, Ann. It'll be easier to move around with less of us.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">My apologies. I don't have the money to take the train there.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Then you're on standby too. Me and RenRen will go, okay?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm a bit worried, but I'll manage.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Remember what I said about Shinjuku. I heard it's dangerous, especially at night.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I remember.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Well, I guess that's that. Let's meet up in Shinjuku.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">How do I get there?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Oh right, transfer student and all... Just hop on the JL.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Be careful, you two.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I shall be sure to save money for situations like this from now on.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But before Ren could head out, Morgana stopped him. "Wait, are you gonna go in your school uniform?" the not-cat asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that a bad thing?" Ren asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Lady Ann said Shinjuku is a dangerous place," Morgana recalled. "It would be bad for you to stand out. You should change before you go."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">One clothing change session later, Ren met up with Ryuji in Shinjuku. "Whoa..." the blonde teen muttered. "Even at night this place is bright as hell! I guess that's Shinjuku for ya. Crossroads Bar's right up ahead. I'm sure we'll get there if we keep goin' straight. So, shall we go?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't you 'shall we go' me!" Morgana snapped. "You're still wearing most of your school uniform and your backpack! You should have changed!"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Had no choice," Ryuji explained. "I didn't have the time to go home. People aren't gonna notice anyways with this t-shirt over it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You still stand out," Ren bluntly stated.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You think so?" Ryuji asked. "I thought this is normal..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm surprised you were thinking anything," Morgana admitted. "Look, it won't be my fault when the cops catch you."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Don't worry about it," Ryuji reassured. "This place ain't so different from Shibuya."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ann said it's dangerous, though," Ren recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what?" Ryuji dismissed. "As long as we don't get distracted, we should find Crossroads in no ti-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, man... You wanna come play?" a suspicious salesman asked, rudely approaching the two. "Touch all you want, no added fees. We have the cutest girls in town too."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"G-Girls...?" Ren stammered, feeling a cold shiver go down his spine. "I'm...not interested."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"C'mon, I'll make it cheap," the suspicious salesman insisted. "Whaddya say?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Did you not hear him?" Ryuji asked in response. "He said he ain't interested!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." the suspicious salesman responded. "So you're one of those people. I can show you the hottest guys instead."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's eyes widened. "Are you serious...?" he checked, his cheeks flaring up. "Did you say...guys?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just ignore that guy, you idiot," Morgana told Ren. "No matter what way you cut it, he's a shady character."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">After an unfortunate encounter with a patrolling officer, Morgana was getting fed up. "How much longer until we get there?" he sighed.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, it ain't our fault we had to deal with that detour!" Ryuji pointed out. "Our school's gettin' real famous!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He recognized your pants," Ren stated. "I told you that you were standing out."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Ryuji could respond, a nearby woman spoke up. "E-Excuse me!" she called out.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"For the blonde one, I can sense impending woman troubles. Or...perhaps it's something else? In any case, horrible disaster is coming for you! Please let me examine your future further!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What, me?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Yes, I suggest you get your fortune told!" the blonde woman insisted. "What I say will surely come to pass!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"More of this shit...?" Ryuji sighed. "Sorry, but we're in a hurry. An' I don't really believe in that stuff anyways."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." the blonde woman muttered. "My apologies. However...if you change your mind, I'll be waiting here in this spot at night. May your fortunes be well."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, the two finally arrived at Crossroads. "Whoa, man..." Ryuji said. "We ain't old enough to hang out here. You sure this is the place?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ohya keeps mentioning Crossroads whenever she suggests meeting up," Ren remembered. "We don't have much of a choice."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Goin' in our uniforms is probably a bad idea," Ryuji pointed out. "We got caught last time too. I'll kill time somewhere nearby. Just lemme know when you're done."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">As soon as Ren walked through the door, he was greeted by a loud 'Welcome!'. The person who said that greeting was a woman wearing a kimono.</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...How old are ya, boy?" she asked.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I, um..." Ren muttered, his voice trailing off. Hopefully she wouldn't kick him out-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry, Lala-chan. He's with me."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That familiar voice was Ohya, who was sitting by the bar. Given by the drink in hand her flushed face, it was easy to tell she was here for a while.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just don't let a minor drink alcohol, okay?" Lala advised.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ohya stood up and walked over to Ren. "So, welcome to Crossroads!" she cheered. "My pal Lala-chan here runs the place. She'll make sure we'll have plenty of time to talk." She grabbed Ren by the wrist and dragged him towards a nearby booth. "Lala-chan, I'm going to borrow the seats in the back."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, Ren found himself in a booth with a journalist who had a distinct odor coming from her. Was that...booze?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What a surprise," Ohya said with a slight laugh. "I thought you were joking, yet here you are. I respect that bravery, so I'll listen to what you have to say. Well, what do you want to know?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I heard a mafia boss is controlling Shibuya lately," Ren answered. "Who is it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh..." Ohya muttered, looking a bit surprised. "Why that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He has been forcing students at my school to take part in drug trafficking," Ren explained, secretly tapping his phone to let Pixie know she can transcribe the conversation to Ryuji. "I need intel on him to save them."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well I do happen to know something about that," Ohya admitted. "I could tell you that, but..." She took a sip from her glass. "Do you know the Phantom Thieves of Hearts? You know, that case the public has been focused on lately."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I heard of them," Ren replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was pursuing the issue of people randomly entering into a shut-down state, but I'm lacking intel," Ohya continued. "That's why I'm currently looking for new material to write about. So, do you have any info on these phantom thieves?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why are you asking me?" Ren asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You're a Shujin kid, right?" Ohya explained. "I remember you wearing their uniform the last time we met. I thought maybe you might have some insider knowledge on the Phantom Thieves of Hearts because of it. Their first incident was that of Kamoshida, you know? Ideally, I'd like to get some exclusive coverage from a student who suffered from Kamoshida's abuse. I would love an introduction if you know of someone who fits the bill. Seems both you and I can't really do our stuff out in the open, so...whaddya say?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">An idea popped into Ren's head. "I...may know somebody," he revealed with a slight smirk. "I'm sure he'll be more than happy to speak with you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's a deal then," Ohya happily replied. "Send me your friend's contact info later."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I will," Ren agreed. "So what about this mafia boss?"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Junya Kaneshiro," Ohya revealed. "I think he's probably the guy you're looking for. You should check him our further if you're curious...but I'm not responsible for what happens next."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Ren replied as he stood up. "That's all I needed for the moment." But before he could leave, he was stopped by a deep voice.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey kid, where do you think you're going?" Lala suddenly asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Home..." Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Come here for a sec," Lala said.</span>
</p><p class="p2">Despite feeling a bit unsure, Ren slowly walked over to the bar. "What is it...?" he nervously asked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Lala carefully looked at Ren for a few seconds before speaking. "Be careful, alright?" she advised.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I know," Ren replied. "I heard rumors about what happens in Shinjuku."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not what I meant," Lala clarified. "I can tell just by looking at you that you're not like anyone else in this country. Tell me... You like boys, don't you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren's eyes widened as he felt his body tense up. "I-I..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Relax, this is a safe space," Ohya reassured as she walked over to the bar as well. "Sure the rumors talk about all the shady businesses, but for people like Lala-chan, Shinjuku's a paradise. They're free to be themselves at night, whether they're gay, transgender, or somewhere else in the LGBTQ+ community."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That surprised Ren. "R-Really...?" he asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Lala nodded in response. "Feel free to stop by whenever to wanna talk," she offered, giving Ren a Crossroads business card. "We'll listen."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Ren replied as he accepted the card. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad coming back to this bar...</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p></p><div class="center">
  <p>I am thou, thou art I...<br/>Thou hast acquired a new vow.<br/>It shall become the wings of rebellion<br/>that breaketh thy chains of captivity.<br/>With the birth of the Devil Persona,<br/>I have obtained the winds of blessing that<br/>shall lead to freedom and new power...</p>
</div>Confidant: Lala Escargot<br/>Devil Rank 1
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0104"><h2>104. Fallen So Far</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The team begins their next infiltration.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After saying goodbye to Lala and Ohya, Ren met up with Ryuji outside the movie theater. "Pixie told me everything," the blonde teen revealed, holding up his phone. "I looked up Junya Kaneshiro while I was waitin' and according to the MetaNav, we got a hit."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"All that's left is to figure out the distortion," Ren said.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let's try tomorrow," Morgana suggested. "It'll be better when we have the whole team together."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right," Ryuji agreed. "I'll tell everyone to meet up in Shibuya. This is totally crazy though... It's a huge catch! I'm pumped!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Me too," Ren replied. "And if things go well, we might be able to start our infiltration first thing tomorrow."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">That evening, while preparing to help Sojiro with coffee, Ren received a text message from Mishima. The dark-haired teen smirked, having a feeling what the text was going to be about.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Hey, some girl just messaged me saying you told her about me. She said she's interested in me! What's this about?! And what kinda girl is Ohya-san? Is she cute, or is she hot?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren text back with a slight grin, trying his best to compose himself.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You'll see...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Don't tease me! I'm gonna lose sleep over this! Ohya-san... She said she wanted to talk. How much more forward can a girl get?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Oh, this one's forward. Very forward.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Is this really what I think it is? Could it be?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Absolutely.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Looks like my time in the female limelight has finally arrived! This is all thanks to you. I feel like starting the Phan-Site has really changed me. Anyway, I can handle this. You introduced me, so I'll make sure I don't embarrass you. And I'll totally let you know if we end up hooking up!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Have fun, you lucky guy.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren laughed as he put his phone away. "What's with the amused look?" Morgana demanded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just a little payback," Ren explained.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, Ren met up with the others to begin their infiltration. Since nothing else happened last night and Ryuji never had an unfortunate encounter with a certain duo a lot of you know from canon, Yusuke wasted no time opening the MetaNav.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay, I entered Kaneshiro's name into the Nav," she reported. "And just as Ryuji said, it's a hit."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All that's left is to determine where the Palace is and what he thinks of it," Ren recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But we don't have any clues other than people falling victim around here," Morgana pointed out. "We'll just have to try whatever keyword we can come up with."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji groaned. "This is gonna be impossible..." he complained. "How many buildings do you think there are in Shibuya?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Probably a lot," Ren answered. "You and Ann know this place better than me." A notification beeped from his phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You think you humans are going to stand here and name every building in Shibuya? That might take too long!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If we can figure out what the Palace is, we may be able to guess where it is by association," Yusuke suspected.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's prolly somewhere he's got complete control over..." Ryuji guessed. "Maybe a...garden?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"He likes money, so...what about a money bath?" Ann suggested. "I've seen people online with things like that!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke checked both ideas. "No... Not even close," she replied.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think I got something," Ren spoke up. "He's luring students in with the promise of an easy part-time job, only to demand money from them once they complete the job. He doesn't stop until they're drained of every last yen they have. Maybe...a bank?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." Yusuke commented. She imputed 'bank' into the app. "Okay... That's a hit! Excellent deductions, Ren."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, he did somethin' similar when we were trying to figure out Madarame's Palace," Ryuji recalled. "That's what makes him team leader."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A bank, huh?" Ann spoke up. "I thought it'd be something less realistic. That's all it is, huh?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sometimes the simplest answers are often the correct ones," Ren explained as he pushed up his glasses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now then, what location would Kaneshiro think of as his bank?" Morgana wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"If we're talkin' about a place where he keeps his cash, maybe his own hideout?" Ryuji guessed.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How about...a real bank?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"His cognition wouldn't be distorted in that case," Morgana pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Dammit... We ain't gettin' anywhere!" Ryuji complained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This may be difficult to explain, but...doesn't it seem we're thinking a little too inside the box?" Yusuke suspected. "Palaces emanate a passionate madness. It feels as though we're missing that aspect."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And that's why you're the team's artist," Ren happily replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You actually got that?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sort of," Ren admitted. "The Palace is meant to represent where Kaneshiro gets his money."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Could it mean a place you withdraw money?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hold on!" Morgana chimed in. He looked over at Yusuke. "Do you think it might have something to do with the victims?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Precisely," Yusuke confirmed. "The bank is most likely where these victims are."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, come on!" Ryuji shouted. "How many people do you think Kaneshiro's taken advantage of in all of Shibuya?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">
    <b>Results found.</b>
  </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait a second!" Yusuke exclaimed. "I have a hit."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Huh...?" Ryuji muttered. "Wait, what?! D-Did I say something right?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You did," Ren confirmed. "That was some quick thinking. Nice work."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then that means the place Kaneshiro thinks of as his bank is...'all of Shibuya'," Yusuke said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?! Like...the entire city?!" Ann checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's certainly where his victims are," Morgana recalled. "It turns out he really is a terrible criminal."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"But wait, is it okay for us to go into the Palace right out of a crowd like this?" Ann realized.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We should go to a more private area first, like an alleyway," Ren suggested. "It's too risky to suddenly drag in an unsuspecting passerby."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Smart thinking, Ren," Morgana complimented. "That's why you're team leader."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">After finding a safe spot to use the MetaNav, the team headed inside the Palace. But upon arriving there, they witnessed quite an unusual site.</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whoa, now that is was I call twisted!" Ryuji exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Every last inch of the town is all distorted," Morgana noticed.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not even Kamoshida had this big of a Palace," Pixie recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No kidding, hee-ho," Jack Frost agreed. "Madarame just had that museum, hee-ho."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann looked alarmed. "What are those?!" she exclaimed, referring to a couple of...ATMs with arms and legs?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Walking ATMs..." Yusuke observed. "That must be his cognition of people. So this is what Kaneshiro considers a 'bank'. He sees everyone in Shibuya as his patron."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No surprise for a mafia boss," Ryuji agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But there has to be an exact area where the treasure will materialize," Ren pointed out. "We should focus on finding it first. Maybe there's someone here we can talk to for information."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That didn't take very long. After a bit of walking around, the team came across an ATM person who was just standing there. From the looks of it, it appeared to be malfunctioned.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Excuse me," Ann said. "Can we-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"AAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!" the ATM person shrieked, speaking in a feminine voice.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was surprised. "What happened to you?" he checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No more!" the ATM person panicked. "You can't keep doing this to me! I did everything you asked! Why do you still want more?!"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p2">"Whoa, cool it!" Ryuji said, trying to calm this cognitive person down. "What're you even talkin' about?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't take this anymore!" the ATM person shouted. It sounded like she was in tears. "Please... Just stop it!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Calm down," Yusuke spoke up. "Were you assaulted?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"No... Not assaulted..." the ATM person revealed, starting to calm down. "I did this to myself... I'm...too weak..." She fell to her knees and started crying.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's no doubt she's a victim, but she can't even hold a goddamn conversation," Ryuji assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shortly after talking to the panicked ATM person, they soon found a huge pile of them lying around. Most of them weren't even moving.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeesh... Talk about a body count," Pixie commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is terrible!" Ann cried out. "All of these are real people, right?"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah," Morgana agreed. "At the very least, he stole from all of them."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is effed up..." Ryuji muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p2">Fortunately there was a collapsed ATM person who was still lit up, so the team walked over to it. "Excuse me, can we have a word?" Yusuke asked. "We are-"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's no use..." the ATM person gasped, speaking in a masculine voice. "It's all over... I'll end up just like them..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What happened?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Can't you tell?" the ATM person asked in response. "I've fallen... Fallen so far...from a place where Kaneshiro leaves no tracks..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"From where?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm...too tired..." the ATM person muttered. "Please...let me rest..." And with that, his lights blinked out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It doesn't look like this one's going to say anything," Morgana suspected.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No tracks..." Ren repeated. "That could mean he takes precautions to make sure the police don't find him." He slowly looked up at the sky.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Do you think they were actually thrown down from somewhere high up?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Most likely," Ren answered. He took out his grappling hook. "That could only mean his Palace is somewhere in the sky."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As if on cue, a large ship flew by. Yet upon closer inspection, it didn't appear to be an ordinary ship.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Is that it?!" Ryuji checked.</span>
</p><p class="p2">Instead of responding, Ren fired his grappling hook at the ship. To no surprise. The hook's rope was too short. "Figures..." he grumbled. "I'll try to find a way to get closer."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wha- You think you can get up there?!" Morgana exclaimed. "It might be guarded!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Good point," Ren realized. He looked over at Pixie. "Can you check to make sure?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ugh, fine..." Pixie sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Unfortunately, it didn't take long for Pixie to return. She flew back a few seconds later and she was gasping for breath. "What happened to you, Miss Pixie?" Jack Frost asked.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"That thing's surrounded by some kind of blasters!" Pixie revealed. "As soon as I got closer, it started firing at me! I couldn't even get near it!"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So we can't go in even if Mona's got a helicopter form..." Ryuji concluded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That only made Morgana feel worse. "I've never felt so ashamed to be just a car..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't think we can go further than this," Ren said. "Let's meet up at the usual spot to discuss this further. There might be some kind of trick to get up there."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0105"><h2>105. Deadline</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The truth finally comes out.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Upon returning back to LeBlanc, Ren noticed he had two text notifications. The first one was from Ohya, who revealed she met up with Mishima last night and she got some information from him. But as for the other text...</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What did you do to me?! That Ohya lady's nothing but a roaring drunkard! How do you know her?! Where did you even meet a lush like this?!</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren smirked and chuckled as he responded to Mishima's panic.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That's for ditching me during Operation Maidwatch.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Seriously?!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You and Ryuji left me, a gay guy, in a room with a maid who worked for a call girl service. How did you think things would play out?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MISHIMA:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Fine... I'm sorry, okay? I'll try to make it up to you.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Apology accepted.</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next day, school was the same as usual. Yet for some reason, there was even more talk about Makoto than usual. But Ren didn't think too much of it, for he was too occupied with trying to come up with a way to get into that flying bank. Pixie said it was surrounded by blasters, so how could they even infiltrate it if it was that heavily guarded?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At the karaoke bar later that day, Ren found out he wasn't the only one who was stuck. "We ain't got nothin'..." Ryuji sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are we out of luck?" Ann assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's no fair his Palace is up in the sky," Morgana complained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If only we could contact the real Kaneshiro..." Yusuke wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While the others were talking, Ren decided to check Akechi's food blog for any updates. But upon opening his InstaChat app, he was greeted by a surprising photo that appeared be trending. It depicted a girl with ruffled clothes passed out in an alleyway. She wasn't wearing a school uniform, but the short brown hair looked all too familiar...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh, guys... You might want to see this," Ren said, holding up his phone.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that...Makoto?!" Ann exclaimed. "What happened to her?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think the caption will give us more information," Ren suspected. He scrolled down. Despite the caption being hastily typed out, the few words said it all.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">found some drunk slut in shibuya almost feel bad for her lol</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let's go," Ren decided as he stood up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hold on, RenRen!" Ryuji shouted. "Why help her?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Haven't you figured it out?" Ren asked in response. "Every time we saw her, she seemed to be attached to her phone. Not to mention how insistent she is with making sure we change Kaneshiro's heart. And after what happened a few days ago, it all makes sense."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s1">"I ain't talking to you, missy."</span> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s1">"You're really gonna say that, knowing who he is? No way I believe that."</span> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What are you getting at, you smart guy?" Morgana asked as he squinted at Ren.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think this is Kaneshiro's doing," Ren suspected. "He must have gotten Nijima involved in drug trafficking and she came to us as a silent plea for help. She wants us to save her."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And that school posting?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Probably her doing, as a way of getting our attention," Ren guessed. "Kaneshiro must have forced her to stay quiet, so she did everything she could to secretly get help. I'm not sure what happened to her, but we need to figure out what. So who's with me?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fine..." Ryuji groaned. "Let's save the student council president..."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A while later, the team was able to find the exact alleyway Makoto was in. She was still unconscious, when Ren gently tapped her face, she groaned slightly and her eyes cracked open.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Sis?" Makoto muttered. "Is that you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't think she's fully conscious," Ren concluded. "We need to get her to LeBlanc for some water."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, the team got Makoto to LeBlanc. Once she was somewhat awake in the cafe's attic, Ren gave her a cup of water. A while later, the brunette teen was able to talk.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Makoto said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who did this to you?" Ren asked, speaking in a firm yet calm voice.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Makoto didn't respond. "I-I...can't say..." she muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Was it Kaneshiro?" Yusuke guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"H-How did you...?" Makoto asked in response, surprised by those words.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I noticed you were acting a big strange every time we met up," Ren explained. "Not to mention the way that sleezy guy talked to you. So what happened to you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's...kind of a long story," Makoto revealed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Tell us anyway," Ren insisted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Makoto took another sip of water. "...Very well," she spoke. "It happened during the Madarame art exhibit. I was walking home from school when I was ambushed by a couple of strange men. They shoved me into a car and brought me to their boss. He forced me to work for him...or he would kill me right then and there."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You've been drug trafficking this whole time?" Ryuji guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not even close," Makoto corrected. "He wanted me to work for him as a prostitute. He runs an underground strip club and according to him, his customers were asking for Shujin students. Since then, I had to go there every night."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that was you I saw at Shibuya Station," Ren recalled. "While I was helping out a politician's campaign."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then why were you in an alley?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because things went wrong last night," Makoto explained. "He told me I became useless to him. The last thing I remember was feeling needles jammed into my neck. I don't remember what else happened."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think you were raped," Ren guessed, taking note on how Makoto's clothes were ruffled. He could even see a few rips on her shirt. "Either by Kaneshiro or one of his men."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That bastard!" Ryuji shouted. "Why would he do that to you?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Because he found a better source of money," Makoto revealed. She looked over at Ren. "You."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That news surprised Ren. "Why me?" he wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't know how, but he found out about your family," Makoto answered. "He wants money from your parents. From what I heard before the needles, they have three weeks to respond. If not..." Her voice trailed off.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's going to happen to me?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You don't want to know," Makoto replied. "All you can do now is run. Kaneshiro will track you down. You need to leave Tokyo now, before things get worse." Her body started trembling. "I'm so sorry, Amamiya-kun. I didn't mean to drag you in like this. I couldn't stand being treated like a sex slave against my will. I didn't think you would get targeted by him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"All right, enough of the blame game!" Ryuji spoke up. "What's done is done."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But you said you saw my photo on InstaChat," Makoto recalled. "Everyone at school probably found out what happened to me." She sighed sadly. "I'm going to cause trouble for Sis too..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sis?" Ann repeated.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"My older sister has a commendable job, and she's a much more remarkable person than me," Makoto explained. "A lot happened after we lost our father three years ago, so it’s just us living together. But I'm still a child...so I must be a burden to her."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Did you ask her about it?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...No," Makoto admitted. "She has been busy lately, so I could never talk to her."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yusuke's right," Ryuji chimed in. "I might not get your whole situation, but ain't it better if you'd just talk things out?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She would probably just tell me it's not my concern," Makoto assumed. She looked over at Ann. "More importantly...I have to apologize for what happened to you. Now that I think on it, the truth about Kamoshida must've been covered up by the whole school. I had my suspicions, but...I couldn't do anything about it." She paused. "No, I didn't do anything. Had I cared enough, I could've done something. People like me must really be what others call scum of the earth."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Real scum wouldn't call themselves that," Ann pointed out. "I'm the same. It's just like you said before. I was closest to Shiho, but I didn't do anything until it was too late. Besides, Kamoshida's the one to blame. Shiho understands that, and I do too. Don't blame yourself for what happened. Blame Kaneshiro for forcing you into prostitution."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Takamaki-san..." Makoto muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You didn't have a place to belong either," Yusuke suspected. "Isn't that right?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Me...either?" Makoto repeated.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"When we decided to change people's hearts, we vowed to never let another victim suffer," Ren said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Now, what should we do from here?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll do something to save Amamiya-kun," Makoto decided. "So can we please drop the case with Kaneshiro? I already suffered enough because of him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No can do," Ryuji insisted. "We're all caught up in this."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We can't let you deal with Kaneshiro on your own," Yusuke decided. "Knowing the reason behind your actions helps justify our cause."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If only we could do something about that bank..." Ryuji sighed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Inspiration struck Morgana. "Oh right, the bank!" he exclaimed. "This student council president might be our key in!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Our key in?" Ann asked. "What do you mean?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A cat?" Makoto noticed, only hearing meows from Morgana. "Um... Are you all okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ren has become Kaneshiro's next target," Morgana explained. "That means he's become a customer of Kaneshiro's bank!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Me?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see," Yusuke commented. "The reason why we couldn't enter before was because we weren't considered his customers."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why are you all talking to a cat?" Makoto asked, feeling a bit confused.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We should take her with us," Morgana decided. "She has every right to know what's going on."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I agree," Yusuke replied. "She risked her life to tell us about this mafia boss." She looked over at Makoto. "Won't you come with us?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?" Makoto muttered. "Wait... To where?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You'll see," Ren replied as he took out his phone.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A quick MetaNav transport session later, Makoto was left dumbfounded by what she saw. "Kitagawa?!" she shouted. "Is that...you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It is," Yusuke confirmed with a swish of her kimono. "This is my true form."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...You're beautiful," Makoto complemented, still surprised. "Why do you look so beautiful?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Be quiet," Morgana advised. "The Shadows are going to notice us."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That didn't help calm Makoto down. "Wh-What's with the three monsters?!"</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Three monsters?!" Morgana yelped. "Me too?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie sighed. "Relax, we're on your side," she told Makoto. "I'm Pixie and the snowman's Jack Frost."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hee-ho!" Jack Frost greeted with a wave.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And the cat...?" Makoto nervously asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He's the black cat who was with us earlier," Ren explained. "This is what he looks like in the Metaverse."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That voice... Amamiya-kun?" Makoto checked. "Where are we?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're inside Kaneshiro's heart," Ann explained. "Or at least, the world inside his heart."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...What?" Makoto muttered, still confused.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's another reality in which Kaneshiro's distorted desires have materialized," Yusuke explained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Another...reality?" Makoto echoed. Then she noticed the floating bank. "It's floating in the air?! Th-This is reality?! My goodness...!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You feeling okay?" Ren checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sorry," Makoto apologized. "It's just...I'm having a hard time comprehending this. But since this really exists, I can't doubt it. Is this how you steal someone's heart?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Precisely," Yusuke confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If we steal Kaneshiro's treasure, we change his heart and make him confess," Morgana explained. "But only if we do it right."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So if this is how Kaneshiro sees Shibuya, does that mean there's an ATM version of myself somewhere in this world too?" Makoto suspected.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think so," Ren spoke up. "When we came here yesterday, we came across an ATM person who was screaming hysterically. And after hearing your side of the story, I can safely assume that was your cognitive self. But don't worry, he won't rob any more people if we successfully pull this off."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll make sure we do," Ryuji bragged with a laugh. "Everyone'll notice us for sure if we take someone like Kaneshiro down!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Our justice will also become resolute, just like you requested," Yusuke chimed in.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And we'll be able to give courage to those who need it," Ann added.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Makoto let out a slight chuckle. "You sound like my father," she commented. "So how does this infiltration work? It sounded like you had a plan in the real world."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We do," Ren confirmed. "You told us Kaneshiro started targeting me. If that's the case, that should allow us to enter his Palace. I'm technically a bank customer to him."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Sure enough, as soon as Ren walked over to the bank, a staircase materialized in front of him. "We're in!" Ryuji cheered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pixie, you and Jack Frost should keep a close eye on Makoto," Ren ordered. "She doesn't have Personas like we do, so she'll need some protection from enemy Shadows."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"On it, hee-ho!" Jack Frost replied with a salute.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That won't be necessary," Makoto insisted. "I've trained in aikido. I can defend myself."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Self-defense won't do much good against Shadows," Morgana warned. "But then again, it's better than nothing."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0106"><h2>106. Rev It Up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A new awakening means new Persona powers for the team.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The infiltration was going to be somewhat different that the previous times. Rather than sneaking around looking for an entrance, Ren decided it would be better to just play along with the Palace's rules. But upon setting foot into the main entrance, he realized that might not be the safest plan.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What business do you have here?" a guard demanded.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naturally Makoto was quick to get into a fighting stance. "Come at us!" she threatened.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait a sec!" Ren warned, stretching out his arm to hold Makoto back. "I want to speak to the bank president."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Excuse me, but do you have an appointment?" the guard checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No, but it's urgent," Ren insisted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"Let him pass,"</b> a deep voice ordered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That voice..." Makoto recognized. "It's Kaneshiro!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yo, banks have presidents?" Ryuji wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, but not the political sorts," Yusuke corrected.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Reception is to the right, towards the back," the guard ordered. "I strongly advise that you do not attempt to go elsewhere."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the team played along, they came across more guards who kept on reminding them where reception is. As they walked, Makoto was amazed with the Palace.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This place is gigantic..." the brunette girl commented. "To think, such a large bank is just floating in the sky..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That is the beauty of Palaces," Yusuke replied. "Anything can happen in them."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Eventually when the team arrived at reception, they saw a single sheet of paper on the table. Upon closer inspection, it read 'Life Contract' and it had a single signature: Makoto's.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A...life contract?" Makoto asked. "What's this for?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"You are to spend the remainder of your life working for me until you have outlived your usefulness. That was our deal, Miss Beautiful President."</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That came from Kaneshiro, who was on a monitor. <strong>"However, I have found a better customer, so this contract has expired,"</strong> he continued. <strong>"But I can't have you ratting me out, so the only way of leaving is through death."</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that was all the drugs were for?" Makoto wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Not quite,"</strong> Kaneshiro corrected. <strong>"I wanted to have a little fun until you broke. After all, I can't move on to my next customer without disposing the previous one first."</strong> He snapped his fingers, causing a blank Life Contract to appear on the table. <strong>"Now then, Mr. Amamiya. Would you care to take her place?"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren went over the Life Contract. "The customer is hereby allowed to give up his entire life to supply the family fortune to Mr. Kaneshiro," he read. "If not, the punishment is instant termination." He thought back to what Makoto said earlier.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s1">"He wants money from your parents. From what I heard before the needles, they have three weeks to respond."</span> </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How did you find out about my family?" Ren demanded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Please don't underestimate our intelligence network,"</strong> Kaneshiro explained. <strong>"The Amamiyas are the most influential family in all of Japan. People always listen to what they have to say. So imagine what would happen if they were to lose their flawless reputation. But there's no need to be alarmed. As long as you sign the contract, your life will be spared...for now."</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That was your plan from the beginning, wasn't it?" Makoto checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"You couldn't be more wrong, Miss President,"</strong> Kaneshiro corrected. <strong>"I only found out about the Amamiya boy through one of my men. A pair of cheap glasses couldn't hide the strong resemblance to the celebrity couple. That was when I decided you are no longer of any use to me. So what's it going to be, Mr. Amamiya? Do we have a deal?"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren was disgusted by this so-called offer. "Here's my answer," he said. Then he picked up the blank Life Contract and tore it in half. "Even if my life is threatened, I won't let you touch my family's wealth!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You better be ready, Kaneshiro!" Ryuji threatened. "We're gonna snatch your treasure from you!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Don't make me laugh, you petty thieves,"</strong> Kaneshiro scolded. <strong>"My citadel has the highest security installed in it."</strong> As in on cue, guards materialized into the room. <strong>"Anyone will do anything for money. I'll rob you of your lives as easily as I breathe air."</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, the guards transformed into demon-like Shadows, prompting the team to attack. Yet while the core five members went on full offense, Pixie and Jack Frost did their best to protect Makoto through electrical and ice attacks. Unfortunately, even after defeating the first wave, they kept on coming and they wouldn't give up. This resulted in the team gradually getting exhausted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's no end to them!" Morgana realized. "We're in trouble at this rate! Let's run!"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">One quick smoke bomb diversion lately, the team fled reception. "Why did the security guards turn into monsters?!" Makoto demanded as she and the others ran. "And what were those supernatural powers?! Could those have been the Personas you mentioned?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll explain once we get out of here!" Ren replied. "Just stay with us for now!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Unfortunately once they reached the exit, more guards materialized in front of their path. "There's no end to them!" Ann shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <span class="s1">"You seem to be quite a pickle."</span> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That voice came Kaneshiro, who walked over to the group with two guards by his side. "How dare you sneak around, Kaneshiro!" Morgana hissed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><b>"Those would be my words,"</b> Kaneshiro spat out. <strong>"However, I do thank you for providing me with such wonderful goods, Miss President."</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What are you talking about?" Yusuke demanded.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Young women are such great assets,"</strong> Kaneshiro said. <strong>"They lack strength, be it social, physical, or mental. It's as if they only exist to be devoured by the strong. That just might be the rule since the dawn of history. As such, I have created a solid business profiting their bodies to eager customers. But lately these customers have demanded Shujin students in the wake of recent news events. So who would have thought hiring the student council president would allow me access to the entire student body?"</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What?!" Makoto exclaimed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"My men found information on every student currently attending Shujin Academy just by looking into your phone history while you were working,"</strong> Kaneshiro clarified. <strong>"The drug trafficking is merely a front to weed out beautiful assets. Those who meet my business' standards are promoted to work there for the rest of their lives."</strong> He looked over at Yusuke. <strong>"You're one of those goods my men encountered, aren't you? You'll make a fine addition to my business."</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Keep your hands off her!" Ann shouted, whip in hand.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Oh, I wouldn't lay a hand on a rare beauty like her,"</strong> Kaneshiro claimed. <strong>"That's for my customers to decide. They're free to do whatever they want to my assets. Free to play with them until they break or lose their usefulness, whichever comes first."</strong> He looked back at Makoto. <strong>"You, on the other hand, are no good to me. I don't understand how you survived the lethal drug overdose, but I'll make sure you stay down this time."</strong></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While Ryuji was more than eager to start fighting back, Ren stretched his arm in front of him. Given by how Makoto looked regarding this reveal, he had a feeling Kaneshiro was going to regret those words soon enough...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I've been listening to you go on and on..." Makoto muttered under her breath.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH, YOU MONEY-GRUBBING ASSHOLE!!!!!!!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That did it for Makoto. After telling her supposed Persona to come to her, she screamed in pain and clutched her forehead. A few seconds later, she broke a tile with a single foot stomp and ripped a piece of metal on her face, causing her to be surrounded by blue flames. But when the flames vanished, instead of a typical Persona, she received...something a bit different.</span>
</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"A Persona...?" Yusuke asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No..." Ryuji corrected. "That's a bike!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren smirked. Now that Makoto had awaken to her Persona, they had a fighting chance. All that was left to finish off the remaining guards toget-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">SKREEEEEEEEEE!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...Or just watch Makoto charge towards Kaneshiro and slam her Persona/motorcycle hybrid into him, which just happened. She didn't stop revving the bike, not even when she had the purple-skinned Shadow self pinned against a wall.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><strong>"Wh-What's with this power...?"</strong> Kaneshiro gasped, the motorcycle pressed into his stomach.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I will not lose heart again, ever," Makoto vowed. "I'll go full speed, nonstop!" She tightened her grasp on her Persona's handles. "I am DONE being a pushover!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay, you can stop now!" Morgana called out. "We know how to get in now! Our objective's been accomplished!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No!" Makoto angrily disagreed. "Not until this bastard pays for forcing me into his business!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren, on the other hand, could sense things weren't going to end well. With a cry of "That's enough!", he successfully materialized Arsene, who fired a light grey stream of energy at Makoto, causing her to lose consciousness as her Persona vanished. Arsene proceeded to carry her in both arms as he flew over to the group.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Panther, you and Jack Frost clear an opening!" Ren ordered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Got it!" Ann replied as she took off her mask. Both Carmen and Jack Frost combined their attacks into a swirl of flames and ice. Ann picked up the snowy Shadow as the elemental combo knocked back every guard in their path.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the guards out of the way, Morgana turned into a bus, prompting the others to get in. Once Makoto, who was still unconscious, was buckled in, the not-cat drove off with Ren at the wheel, finally escaping this twisted bank.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0107"><h2>107. The Ninth Secret Keeper</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Why get a strategist when your team leader has been strategizing all the heists?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Back in the real world, the team headed over to the karaoke bar to help Makoto recover. Much like the previous awakenings, she was exhausted, but it was worse for her due to certain reasons.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Man, talk about wild..." Ryuji complimented. "That was no aikido! That was some hardcore ass whoopin'!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I am so not pissing her off," Ann decided. "I feel like she'll rip off my arm."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She does exude that aura," Yusuke agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, stop it!" Makoto whimpered. "This is the most exhausted I've ever gotten these past few years..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But unlike the rest of the team, Ren was actually annoyed. "That was reckless, Nijima," he stated. "What were you thinking? Were you trying to kill Kaneshiro?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes..." Makoto confirmed. "All I could think about was all the abuse I suffered from him. After finding out he used me to get contact information from the other students, I kind of lost all sense of reason. It's my fault people like Iida were dragged into this."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That does explain why Kosei students only knew about the drug trafficking from passing rumors," Yusuke spoke up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I didn't even like being a prostitute," Makoto confessed. "So many guys kept trying to use me in way I can't describe. It was painful, just like I initially imagined." She hugged herself as her body shivered. "How could anyone actually find sex enjoyable when it hurts so much?" She paused. "You probably think I'm weird for saying that..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Not at all," Yusuke disagreed. "You're with understanding company."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right... Because you're a transgender girl," Makoto recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not all," Yusuke corrected. "I'm also attracted to men and women."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." Makoto commented. She looked over at the others. "What about the rest of you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, I'm not really part of that group..." Ryuji confessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Same here," Ann added. "But Ren is...well..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Are you gay?" Makoto checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren slowly nodded in response. "That's where the rumors came from," he confirmed. "I'm not attracted to girls, but the other students don't understand that. They all think I'm some weird guy for not accepting love confessions from popular classmates."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I understand," Makoto replied. She let out a relieved sigh. "I never thought I'd become part of the phantom thieves I was after. Sis might faint if she found out."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You mentioned her earlier," Yusuke recalled.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She's a prosecutor for the district," Makoto clarified. "And she's investigating the Phantom Thieves of Hearts."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wait, ain't that bad?!" Ryuji pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No need to worry," Makoto reassured. "A normal investigation would never lead them to a world like that. Then again, it must have been fate for this to happen."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you mean?" Ann wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't be like my sister," Makoto explained. "I had a feeling that there'd come a time when we wouldn't see eye-to-eye anymore. I'm thankful to have a sister who works so hard, but...there are times I feel sorry for her too. And after hearing my Persona's voice, I clearly understand how I feel now."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">An idea popped into Yusuke's head. "Won't she be perfect as added muscle?" she suggested. "She's capable of charging into danger without fear."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sounds good to me!" Ryuji agreed. "We needed extra strength for a while now!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'd be honored if I can help out," Makoto replied.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, Ren's phone beeped. But instead of a usual notification from Pixie or Jack Frost, he received something else. "It's from Kaneshiro," he revealed. "He texted me about our so-called deal."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So the Kaneshiro over here doesn't know what happened inside the Palace," Makoto checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's right," Morgana confirmed. "But his Palace will be affected if the real Kaneshiro's cognition changes. We can't be lax."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'll have to stay away from Shibuya for now," Makoto decided. "If he was trying to kill me like he said in the Palace, it would be best if I make him think I'm dead."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was thinking the same thing," Ren replied. "We'll head back to the Palace first thing after school tomorrow. We have three weeks to pull this off, so the earlier, the better."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's that security system too," Yusuke added.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But if we pull this off, it'll definitely be great!" Ann reassured.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll crush him like a fly," Makoto vowed. "I'll make him regret forcing me into his business!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course," Ren said. "But we can't be reckless. I had to use a Dream Needle on you because that's not how we deal with Palace rulers. If their Shadows are damaged in the Metaverse, the injuries are transferred to their real selves. I found that out the hard way after punching Kamoshida."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So that's why his nose looked bruised and swollen when he confessed..." Makoto remembered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We actually have a plan to ensure a change of heart without resorting to brutal violence," Ren continued. "First we secure a route to the treasure, then we send out a calling card in the real world in order for it to materialize. And if things go well, we're able to steal it ensure the target confesses his or her crimes."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In that case, I'll be waiting for the call to meet up," Makoto said.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">When Ren returned to LeBlanc, he was about to pack his bag for the bathhouse when Ryuji sent out his usual group chat text.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Damn, motorcycles are cool... I wish my Persona was like that.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Yours is on a storm cloud though.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Dude, you kidding?! Actually riding your Persona is way cooler than having it just appear next to you! It'll be just like that American song! "I'm a phantom, on a steel horse I ride"!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MAKOTO:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Don't say such things. And for the record, I am certainly not "wanted".</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">You sure? I thought I heard something about your photo trending on InstaChat.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MAKOTO:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm sorry... Who is this?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm that fairy from the Palace.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MAKOTO:<br/></span> <span class="s1">How are you in this group chat?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I live in Ren's phone. This group chat is the only place where I can talk with you humans.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">JACK FROST:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Don't forget about me, hee-ho!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Right... Jack Frost is also in the phone. Dunno why, but that's how things work.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Honestly, I'm mostly just surprised you know how to ride a motorcycle at all, Nijima-senpai.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Do you got a license?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MAKOTO:<br/></span> <span class="s1">A regular one, yes.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Niceee... I can't wait to get my hands on one too.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MAKOTO:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That aside, mind if I change the topic for a moment?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">What is it?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MAKOTO:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I'm sorry, everyone. I know I'm not in any position to be saying that. I truly do. However, I must apologize. In actuality, I had no intention to report you to the police. I only said that because I had to pay Kaneshiro a certain amount of money by June 28th. He threatened to kill me if I revealed anything about him and his business, so I had to make sure he would call off his deal.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">So he forced you to keep quiet.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MAKOTO:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Precisely.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Come on, we don't need to talk about that now.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">It seems there are still lingering issues on everyone's minds.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Now's not the time to be talking about the past though! Don't we gotta be doing something about Kaneshiro?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">REN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">We do. Ryuji, try to get some weapons for Nijima tonight.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">On it!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MAKOTO:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I will do my best to make sure I don't slow you all down.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, we were at odds with each other until just a while ago..." Morgana recalled. "But Ryuji's right. We need to work together to overcome this. Makoto seems like she'll make a reliable source of brute strength. But now we're going up against a real criminal. Stay on your toes, okay?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course," Ren agreed as he packed his bottle of Beauty's Delight shampoo. "Maybe I can come up with a good plan during tonight's bathhouse visit."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Meanwhile, Ryuji headed over to Untouchable to see if Iwai had good weapon recommendations for Makoto. But upon arriving at the shop, he was surprised to see an ambulance near the area. The blonde's confusion gradually turned to panic when two orderlies escorted a familiar face on a gurney.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Iwai?" Ryuji muttered. He walked over to the gurney. "What happened...?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sorry, kid..." Iwai muttered. "Tsuda did this..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji's eyes widened in shock. "For real...?" he gasped.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please..." Iwai muttered as he was escorted into the ambulance. "Watch over Kaoru...and the store..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the orderlies closed the doors and the ambulance drove off, Ryuji was still surprised by this sudden turn of events. They had to change Kaneshiro's heart. And hopefully, he can finally change Tsuda's heart once and for all.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This fic doesn’t run on video game logic. In reality, not every Mementos target is willing to be patient after delivering a death threat.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0108"><h2>108. A Budding Friendship</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Gossiping teens can be quite nasty.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Later than night, Ren had already got dressed for bed. But before he did, Morgana hopped onto the bed. "A motorcycle-shaped Persona, huh?" the not-cat commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about it?" Ren asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You know, I can turn into a car too," Morgana recalled. "So it's like...I feel a sense of familiarity?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What, you think you're a Persona?" Ren joked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh, no!" Morgana corrected. "I'm supposed to be human!" He paused. "Well, motorcycles are nice too, but it can't carry large numbers of people. I really am special after...all... Huh?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is something wrong?" Ren checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Something just crossed my mind," Morgana admitted. After a few minutes of silence, he groaned slightly. "It's no use. I can't remember at all."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry about it," Ren reassured, giving Morgana and gentle chin scratch. "You'll remember it some day."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, I guess you're right," Morgana agreed. "There's nothing I can do about it if I can't remember. I need to concentrate on Kaneshiro for now. Unlike you guys, Makoto's seems to be a brash fighter, so you need to keep her in line so she doesn't do anything else reckless. But Ren, you really do have something special."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"With the whole Persona thing?" Ren asked. "I doubt it. It was a coincidence. I just so happened to end up in Kamoshida's Palace that day. If Ryuji didn't show up and say 'pervy teacher', I would have gone to school completely unaware of the Metaverse."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey now, don't sell yourself short," Morgana reassured. "I'll step up my game to fix that mentality!" An idea came to mind. "I know! After we deal with Kaneshiro, I should consult Makoto about Mementos too. I'm sure her driving skills can-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Morgana noticed Ren had already fallen asleep. Letting out a slight sigh, the not-cat slipped under his arm and curled up next to him. He was more than happy to help out the dark-haired teen. Hopefully the recent events from today cleared his mind...</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <b>"What's this? Another one has joined my collection?"</b>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">
    <b>"Let's see... The Severed Puppet... Ooh, now that's bound to attract more visitors."</b>
  </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">
    <b>"I'll have to learn more information about her tomorrow, but for now, I can already tell someone like her will definitely become popular for all the wrong reasons."</b>
  </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">
    <b>"Yes... This is already turning into a fine collection. My audience is already buzzing with excitement!"</b>
  </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">
    <b>"But fear not, my eager attendees! This performance is just getting started! I can guarantee there is more to come for my wonderful freakshow carnival!"</b>
  </span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Isn't that the student council president?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I heard she got into drugs and prostitution."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Did you see the photo of her on InstaChat?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I almost feel sorry for her."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That was all that Makoto heard at school the next day. Just like she suspected, everyone saw that trending photo, causing her to lose favor with most of the student body. She was treated no better than her newfound friends.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While most of the day went by in a blur, she was called into the student council room during lunchtime. While she was initially confused, she ended up being surprised when she found out Ann wanted to speak with her.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sorry for asking you here like this," Ann apologized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh no, it isn't a problem," Makoto reassured. "I actually find it refreshing to be asked to the student council room. Although it's somewhat nerve-racking as well.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think I'm a bit nervous myself," Ann admitted. "Anyway, um... I wanted to apologize. I'm...really sorry for everything."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What do you mean?" Makoto wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"You know, how I blamed you for Kamoshida's sexual harassment?" Ann clarified. "Well, I wanted to apologize for that. I've honestly been meaning to since yesterday. I overheard a few classmates talking about how you supposedly turned a blind eye to Kamoshida's actions and I took my anger out on you, Nijima-senpai. I'm...very sorry." She bowed.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, there is no need for that," Makoto reassured. "In fact, I think the two of us are pretty similar.</span>
</p><p class="p2">Ann stood to her full height. "Huh...?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was unable to save anyone," Makoto explained. "Not Suzui-san and not any of Kaneshiro's victims, including myself. I was too scared to fight back because I thought I was simply following orders. But I realized I shouldn't have been so passive. If I had been more bold and exposed Kaneshiro's crimes from the beginning, this whole mess wouldn't have happened. The fear of losing my life was why I acted so harshly toward you and your friends. I'm deeply sorry as well."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I see..." Ann replied. She paused. "In that case, wanna call it even?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Makoto chuckled in response. "You're right," she agreed. "How about we leave this conversation in the past?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann nodded in agreement. "Oh, but...one more thing," she said. "You're nowhere near passive, Nijima-senpai. You were a bit reckless, but you were able to leave quite an impression at the Palace yesterday. And you even obtained the power to change people's hearts. You did that all yourself, Nijima-senpai."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That way of thinking is very much like you, Takamaki-san," Makoto complimented with a slight laugh. "When you confronted me about Suzui-san, I realized how my own actions allowed other people to walk over me. You're always very direct. That's what helped me finally realize the error of my ways. It turns out I'm a little slow on the uptake at times." An idea came to her mind. "Hey... Can I call you Ann?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Um, yeah!" Ann agreed, a bit surprised by the question. "I... I'm going to do the same, M-M-Makoto..." She groaned. "This is so embarrassing!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How about we get somewhere to eat before we head over to the karaoke bar for today's infiltration?" Makoto offered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ooh, I know a place!" Ann exclaimed. "There's a crepe shop at Central Street that totally stuffs-" She stopped speaking as a realization dawned on her. "Oh right... It's in Shibuya..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's fine," Makoto reassured. "You can pick one up for us to split while I wait outside Shibuya."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh no, we'll try somewhere else!" Ann insisted. "How about...Harajuku instead? I heard it's a fashion district, but maybe we can try to find a sweets shop there."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I like the sound of that," Makoto replied. "First thing after school today, right?"</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Later that day, while Ren was paying attention in class, the others were taking part in a group chat.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I realize this is a mite late, but how shall I refer to you, Nijima-san? I believe some courtesy should be shown to those who are our senior.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Oh yeah... Should we call you Nijima-san, or like, Nijima-senpai?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MAKOTO:<br/></span> <span class="s1">No need to be formal. Just treat me the same way you would anyone else.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That would be Miyazawa Kiichi," Ren answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Correct," Mr. Ushimaru confirmed. "He failed to pass effective political reform legislation back in 1993."</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Sorry guys, but Ren's too engrossed in the lesson to pay attention.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Forgive me, but isn't referring to you in an informal manner somewhat rude?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">I already just call her by name.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">For real? Did something happen?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">ANN:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That's a secret between the two of us!</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">RYUJI:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Dammit, that sounds like fun...</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">MAKOTO:<br/></span> <span class="s1">All of you may call me by my first name. No need to hesitate.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">PIXIE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">That shouldn't be a problem. Morgana started doing that last night.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">YUSUKE:<br/></span> <span class="s1">Very well. I shall do just that as well.</span></p><hr/><p class="p1">After school, while Ren was waiting at Takemi's clinic for his usual checkup, an idea popped into Morgana's head. "Eureka!" he exclaimed.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What is it, Morgana?" Ren checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I just had an idea," Morgana explained. "And a phenomenal one, at that. It's something I've been giving a lot of thought lately. Now that we've all gained some experience in battle, I think it's be good for us to work on our finishers."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Finishers?" Ren repeated.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right!" Morgana excitedly confirmed. "If we're able to sync up our moves, we can do a stylish combo attack to finish up an enemy."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That sounds cool," Ren commented. "But I don't think that's kind of my thing."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, come on!" Morgana urged. "It'll be fun! We can perform massive damage like when we normally all attack at once! Don't you wanna have a hand with delivering the finishing blow?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Kind of..." Ren sighed, thinking about how hard it normally is to take down a Shadow even after a massive group attack.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, a bright flaw came from Ren's pocket. Upon a bit of inspection, it turned out to come from the star Jose gave him during his first Mementos trip. "That's weird," he said. "I think it started glimmering. Could it have reacted to your idea of finishers?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Looks like it," Morgana replied. "I wonder what that was for..."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Showtime attacks are going to work a teensy bit different in this AU...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0109"><h2>109. Fallen Angel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Makoto adapts to her new role as the lead striker.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once everyone had finished up their respected errands, they all met up at their usual karaoke bar booth. "I never imagined that I would end up helping the Phantom Thieves of Hearts," Makoto admitted. "Things would get interesting if my sister ever found out..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's no time to be getting sentimental here," Morgana advised.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"He's right," Ren agreed. "We can't let our feelings interfere with the infiltration."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, I understand," Makoto replied. "I do have one request bout all of this though. Can you teach me how to be a phantom thief. Like...about the Metaverse, for example."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Simply put, that would is formed of a person's cognition," Yusuke explained. "There, you can change people's hearts."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, I've gathered that much just from going there once," Makoto replied. "But the method of transportation still eludes me. I mean, it's a smartphone navigation app."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's a simple method," Ren spoke up. "Just type in the name, location, and distortion. After the first visit, it's automatically saved for later use."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You really just make it sound like an ordinary app," Makoto noticed. "Aren't there dangers associated with it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realization dawned on Ren. Makoto had a good point. What if visiting the Metaverse could prove to be fatal to the team's health? Maybe he should try to schedule everyone for a checkup-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry 'bout that!" Ryuji reassured. "We've already been there a bunch of times!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Actually, she might be right," Ren disagreed. "There might be fatal side effects to visiting the Metaverse."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's not what I mean," Makoto clarified. "I don't know where this navigation app came from. It showed up on my phone without any input from me. Do any of you know anything about it?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... Nope!" Ren blurted out. "Not a clue!" He had been wanting to tell everyone Igor was the one handing out the app, but he suspected they wouldn't believe him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't think we have to worry about the app," Morgana reassured. "From what I can tell, it's incredibly special. It wasn't made by any ordinary means."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"True..." Makoto agreed. "An app that allows you to enter another world isn't exactly commonplace."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're still figuring out the Metaverse ourselves," Ren admitted. "I hope you can keep up with us."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Thank you," Makoto replied. "I'll do my best."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right now we need to focus on changing Kaneshiro's heart," Ann spoke up. "I could only imagine what would happen to Ren if we don't act now."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"C'mon, we just gotta take care of the Palace before the time limit," Ryuji encouraged. "We'll bounce back from this and save RenRen. Plus people'll really start admirin' us if we can manage to take this bastard down."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, this is the perfect opportunity," Morgana agreed. "We have to succeed, no matter what!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren took out his phone. "Then let's get going," he replied, ready to activate the MetaNav.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Once the team arrived at the Palace, Makoto had something to ask. "So, what am I going to be called?" she wondered. "You all were using codenames, weren't you?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We were," Ren confirmed. "I'm Joker..." He proceeded to gesture towards his friends. "...while the others are Skull, Mona, Panther, and Chrysalis."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about Pixie and Jack Frost?" Makoto asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We have codenames, hee-ho?" Jack Frost pondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We don't," Pixie informed Makoto. "We live in Joker's phone in the real world, so we don't normally use codenames."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And what about me?" Makoto asked again.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This time's a hard one..." Ryuji sighed. "Maybe somethin' like, uh... Shoulder Pads?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why in the world did you focus on that?!" Morgana whimpered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I refuse to be called that," Makoto disagreed with her arms crossed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You could be Biker," Pixie suggested. "Mostly because you ride your Persona."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sounds too much like a smuggler," Makoto pointed out. "Next."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hmm... Fixer?" Ann guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not the brains of the team," Makoto pointed out. "Won't you give me something better to work with?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She reminds me of an empress..." Morgana commented. "You got anything, Joker?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Only one name popped into Ren's mind. "Anarchy,“ he decided. "That was the name of the main character in that American post-apocalyptic desert movie."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's the best you could come up with?!" Morgana exclaimed. "She's clearly a Queen!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Makoto looked surprised by that choice of name. "I don't think that could work either," she disagreed. "Not after everything that happened..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What about Naamah?" Yusuke suggested.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why that name?" Ryuji asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"She is a fallen angel commonly associated with prostitution," Yusuke explained. "That fits nicely with our newest teammate."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Naamah..." Makoto repeated. "It has a nice ring to it. I like it. Let's go with that. Now then, could you explain to me the strategy for this mission?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We each play a certain role during infiltrations," Ren said. "As team leader, it's my job to strategize battle plans and keep an eye out for any hidden passageways. Skull usually handles most of the heavy lifting, Panther is the resident spellcaster, Chrysalis has a good eye when it comes to artwork, and Mona is both team navigator and acts as battle support. As for our two Shadow allies, Pixie is the team healer and Jack Frost specializes with ice magic. But in the real world, Pixie has recently taken on the role of transcribing important conversations so we can get information without drawing suspicion."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Makoto was surprised to hear this information. "That doesn't sound like a strategy," she pointed out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We can't rely on a single strategy for every heist," Ren explained. "Each Palace varies depending on the person, so it's better to adapt to our surroundings so we're more prepared for unexpected ambushes."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what's my role going to be?" Makoto wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think you'll work best as our first wave of defense," Ren decided. "If we come across a surprise attack, you can ram into guards with your Persona. It looked effective when you tackled Kaneshiro yesterday, so it should have the same results with other Shadows."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Very well then," Makoto agreed. "I feel like I'll be useful for sure."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Unfortunately, the team quickly found out their original way in was literally barricaded. "The hell is this?!" Ryuji complained.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It seems they were expecting our return," Yusuke suspected, noticing the Closed sign on the door.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We'll have to find another way in," Ren decided. "There should be a hidden entrance nearby."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie noticed a nearby pig statue. "Was that there last time?" she wondered, flying over to it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Ren's third eye skill kicked in, prompting him to rush over to the statue. Sure enough, he could feel a slight draft nearby. He proceeded to check for a hidden switch and sure enough, he found it after pressing the placard, revealing a hidden passageway underneath the statue.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good. We found out new infiltration route," Ren spoke up. "Naamah, you go in ahead of us, and get your Persona ready in case of an ambush."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"On it," Makoto replied before jumping into the entrance.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">When the entire team was inside, they found out the hidden entrance did lead to the bank's interior. "It seems our plan went well," Yusuke commented.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't remember seeing this place last time," Makoto remembered. "Just where exactly are we?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I should be able to find a map somewhere," Pixie guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good call, Pixie," Ren agreed. "A map would give us a better idea on where the treasure is located."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, right when they arrived in a hallway, they had some unexpected company. "Hold on a second!" Ann exclaimed. "What is that?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke used her finger frames to get a better look at the faraway guard. "A Shadow in the shape of a dog," she observed. "It seems this place has its own watchdogs."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hmm... I don't like the looks of this..." Morgana whimpered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Y'mean 'cause you're a cat?" Ryuji joked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hell no!" Morgana corrected. "I mean it might be able to sniff out intruders, or hunt us down super fast!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Actually, we might be able to weaken it," Ren corrected. He looked over at Makoto. "Ready to do this, Naamah?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Got it," Makoto replied. She took off her mask, prompting her Persona to materialize. "Let's charge in, Johanna!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With a sharp revving sound, Makoto zoomed ahead of the others and rammed her Persona into the guard dog, causing it explode into two-headed dog. But unlike previous ambushes, it was already dizzy and knocked over.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Heh, not bad," Morgana complimented. "We should be able to finish it off with a combo move."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"On it!" Ryuji volunteered. "C'mon Panther, let's do this!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That took Ann off guard. "Eh? Why me?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I already got the perfect combo move in mind," Ryuji explained. "Just follow my lead!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Geez... Fine..." Ann sighed. "Here we go!"</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0110"><h2>110. Ren's Plan of Attack</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The infiltration of Kaneshiro's bank starts off well.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I apologize for the sudden hiatus. WandaVision happened and I got caught up in the mystery element. Hopefully I’ll be able to continue posting chapters on a regular basis.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed was absolute chaos. With a flash of red light, Ryuji and Ann found themselves in two prison cells next to each other. Armed with a guitar and keyboard, the two busted down the cell doors and tried to escape. However, when they encounter the Shadow, they knocked it back with their respected instruments before delivering a combo attack. While Ann tied up the Shadow with her whip, Ryuji delivered a few hard whacks with his pipe to finish it off.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whoa..." Morgana commented. "That was some combo attack!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji, on the other hand, was a mix of surprised and confused. "What WAS that just now?!" he wondered, staring at his glove-covered hand.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not sure," Ann admitted. "I'm surprised it went so well."</span>
</p><p class="p2">A thought crossed Ren's mind. "No way..."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You know what it could've been, Joker?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Before everyone else arrived at the hideout, Mona was talking about team finishers," Ren recalled. "Then that star Jose gave us started glowing. I think it's allowing us to pull off these stylized combo moves, like what you and Skull did just now."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So in other words, the...star reacted to Mona's wish to fight alongside the rest of us?" Makoto assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wish-granted stars..." Yusuke commented. "If that's truly the case, we'rejust encountering one strange phenomenon after another."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So if I was able to pull it off with Panther, can't the rest of ya do it too?" Ryuji assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Probably," Morgana replied. "But I'm not sure how we can trigger a new combo attack. There's a lot we don't understand about how this works...as usual. But what I DO get is, if we use these stars right, we'll be more ready than ever for our battles!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Alright, enough chit-chat!" Pixie sighed. "We need to get going!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Right," Ren agreed. "Come on, team. We have a treasure to steal."</p><hr/><p class="p2">For a while, not much happened. Thanks to Ryuji, Makoto had her own weapons to fight: a pair of brass knuckles and a revolver. Yet despite this, she preferred to just ram into Shadows with her Persona. So with the main Persona users fully equipped, fighting one guard after another was quite simple. And because a lot of these standard Shadow bosses are awfully repetitive, I'll just skip ahead to a main plot detail, which happened shortly after taking out an enemy Shadow in a control room.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Phew..." Makoto sighed as Johanna retreated back into her mask. "We somehow managed."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke looked around. "It seems we have come across a monitoring room," she remarked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A flash of gold caught Ryuji's eye. "Hey guys, I think I found something!" he informed, picking up thin plastic object. "Ain't this some kinda keycard?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ren walked over to Ryuji to inspect the object. "I think so," he confirmed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie flew over to a familiar object on a wall. "This must be the map," she suspected. "I'll commit it to memory."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So you're the one in charge of maps?" Makoto assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ever since the first heist," Pixie replied, her gaze fixated on the map.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You truly are an unusual Shadow," Makoto commented. "Not only are you the team healer, but you transcribe conversations and keep track of map layouts. Does Jack Frost have other roles as well?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Uh... Not after Madarame's Palace," Jack Frost spoke up. "Just ice duties, hee-ho."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie absentmindedly nodded in response. "Okay, I think I got a good idea of the Palace's layout," she reported. "There's some kinda large basement. I think it might be where the treasure is."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yusuke walked over to the map. "Hmm... It seems only a portion of the Palace layout is depicted here," she noticed. "Unless we can obtain another map, we won't know for certain."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"If Pixie's right, the basement should be the only underground level," Morgana suspected. "It would probably make sense to head there first."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The keycard might be our way to get there," Ren suggested. "We should have access to more doorways if we use it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What, you think this might give us access to that elevator?" Ryuji guessed, picking up the keycard.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't think so," Ren replied. "There wasn't a scanner near the door. But maybe the keycard could provide us a different pathway to get to the basement."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I agree," Makoto spoke up. "But don't you think they keycard is limited to only a few areas?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ryuji noticed a scanner near the room's entrance. "Only one way to find out," he said, walking over to the entrance. Sure enough, after a single swipe, the scanner beeped and it gates covering the door slid open. "All right, it's open!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then it seems we will be able to unlock areas that had a scanner just like this one," Yusuke commented.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Thanks to Ryuji finding that keycard, the team was able to find a maintenance room above the elevator. With Ren's quick thinking, he concluded this was going to be their best chance to get to the basement level. While it took a while, the elevator finally moved, allowing the team to continue. But upon arriving at the basement, a loud, booming voice was heard from the loudspeakers.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong>"All security, listen up! It looks like some rats have infested this place! Under no circumstances let them further down! Strengthen security as much as you can! Understood?"</strong>
</p><p class="p1">"It seems painfully obvious where the treasure is now," Yusuke remarked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pixie, did the map show any sign of the treasure?" Ann asked.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Nope," Pixie answered.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann let out a sigh. "Guess we need to find another map..." she concluded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"In any case, heading down should be the best move," Morgana suspected. "Let's keep our eyes out for the second map while we explore."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was thinking the same thing," Ren agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After a quick rest at a safe area, the team continued on with the infiltration...which didn't last long thanks to Morgana catching a glimpse at nearby security cameras.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Security cameras..." Makoto said. "They'll probably tighten their guard if we show up on there."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Joker, can't you use your observation skills to see the camera's range?" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Just as Ren was about to do so, he noticed some kind of electrical box further down the hallway. "Never mind the camera range," he disregarded. "I think I found their power source. If we short it out, we can avoid the cameras altogether." He glanced at a certain someone. "If only someone was small enough to completely avoid the camera range..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What, you want me to do that?" Pixie realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well you are the smaller than Mona," Ryuji pointed out. "And you got those wings that can shoot lightning."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Alright, I get it!" Pixie shouted. "I'll do it! Oh, and Skull... My wings don't 'shoot lightning' as you describe it. Small electrical sparks are generated through rapid friction."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Before Ryuji could respond, Pixie proceeded to fly above the cameras. Once she was closer to the power supply box, she turned her back towards it and quickly flapped her wings. Sure enough, a spark of electricity materialized, shorting out the box in the process and turning off the cameras. With the task accomplished, she waved over at the others, letting them know it was safe to come over.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That was smart thinking, Joker," Makoto complimented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's better to find the simplest solution," Ren informed. "The sooner we finish up the infiltration, the sooner we can change Kaneshiro's heart."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Meanwhile, Morgana peaked open the door...only to come across a rather tough-looking guard. "Bad news," he informed. "This next one looks strong, but we'll have to get through this area to continue."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You got this, Naamah?" Ren checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Naturally," Makoto confidently replied as her mask dissolved into blue flames. With Johanna fully materialized, the brunette girl rammed the Persona/bike into the guard (while destroying the barely-closed doors in the process, causing it to dissolve into a brute red ogre. Just like the previous times, Makoto's initial strike inflicting a dizzy status.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just as I thought," Morgana confirmed. "We're dealing with one enemy, but it's pretty strong. What's the plan, Joker?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Follow my lead," Ren ordered, taking out his knife. He charged towards the Shadow like all the previous times, but this time, a straightforward attack dealt massive damage than usual.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whoa!" Ryuji exclaimed. "That was some killer blow!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It must be because I made it dizzy," Makoto assumed. "I think delivering a status alignment can deal extra damage."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It looks like the extra damage caused it to snap out of its dizziness," Ann noticed. She took off her mask. "What if we inflict a sleep spell?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With a flash of blue flames, Hecate materialized a launched light purple gas at the Shadow. While the Shadow fell asleep, Ann passed her turn over to Yusuke, who whipped out her katana. But instead of her usual multi-slash strike, an icy gust swirled around the blade. She then slashed an X midair at the Shadow, which exploded into ice butterflies and swarmed it, dealing massive damage in the process. This attack amazed the others.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wha... What was that?!" Morgana asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I have been experimenting with different battle techniques," Yusuke informed. "My typical katana attacks have been lacking true elegance, so I have decided to combine Goemon's elemental attacks into my blade."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That reminds me," Makoto spoke up. "I noticed your ice attacks include butterflies. Why is that?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, you're right," Ryuji realized. "That didn't happen in the last Palace."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm not quite sure," Yusuke admitted. "They started materializing after I had completely rejected my connections to Madarame."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Our Personas are connected to our will to rebel," Morgana explained. "The stronger the resolve, the stronger our Personas will become."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Or the butterflies are because of Chrysalis' transition from boy to girl," Jack Frost suggested with a shrug.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So our Personas are strengthened by our rebellious resolves," Makoto replied. "How interesting."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We can discuss this later," Ren pointed out. He whipped out his gun. "For now, let's focus on taking this Shadow down!"</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ryuji and Ann’s Showtime is called Jailbreak Rock.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0111"><h2>111. Charging Through</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Leeroy Jenkins!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Good News: With WandaVision finally over, I can continue with this fic.</p><p>Sorry this chapter is a bit too short. It felt like a good way to conclude it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once the Shadow was taken care of, the team continued on with their infiltration. The security cameras weren't a problem with Ryuji and Pixie short-circuiting the power supply boxes. But after a few more Shadow battles, they came across a hallway filled with security cameras with a gated doorway nearby.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whoa, what is this?" Ryuji asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It is an exceedingly spacious room," Yusuke remarked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The map said our next point of interest is down from here," Pixie remembered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hey, did you hear? It sounds like those intruders are wrecking havoc in here."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Everyone, quiet down!" Morgana shushed. "I hear someone talking!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The someone talking in question came from behind the gated area. But since the team was too far away from the door, it was a bit hard to hear what the someone was saying.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So, this floor's... and Mr. Kaneshiro ordered us to..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, but still... I mean, with these two keys... to happen?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hmm? Keys?" Ryuji wondered. "What're those Shadows talkin' about?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We're too far away," Ren said. "I wasn't able to hear the full conversation, either."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There's also the concern of those surveillance cameras," Yusuke noted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And those Shadows are in there," Ann added. "It's probably too dangerous to get any closer right now."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm curious about the conversation they were having," Makoto admitted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So what, we're gonna fry some more control boxes?" Ryuji asked Pixie.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oooh, oooh! I got an idea, hee-ho!" Jack Frost shouted while he jumped up and down. "Fly me up to the cameras, Miss Pixie! I can use my ice powers to cover the lens!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What good would that do?" Pixie asked. She didn't want to say anything to the childlike Shadow, but she wasn't sure if that 'cover the camera lenses with ice' plan would be effective...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, the guards mentioned something about keys," Jack Frost recalled. "What if those are the same keys we need, hee-ho?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You might be right about that," Ren agreed. His gaze switched over to a nearby stairway. "Let's head down just to make sure."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, after disable a power supply box, the team soon found themselves in front of a large vault. Unfortunately, there didn't appear to be any way to open it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I think I remember seeing this vault on the map," Pixie recalled. "We need to get passed this to continue."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then this is not a vault, but a partition of sorts," Yusuke assumed. "The terminals there must be how you open it."</span>
</p><p class="p2">Ann inspected the terminals. "But both of them have keyholes," she commented.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I knew it, hee-ho!" Jack Frost cheered. "We do need those keys, hee-ho!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That was some clever deduction, Jack Frost," Morgana praised. "All right! Let's go back to that room!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hold up," Ryuji said. "Don't forget about them security cameras."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Good point," Morgana realized as his ears drooped. "They're a pain, but we should deactivate the security cameras first."</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">What followed was a boring part of the infiltration. The team explored the area in hoping of shorting out power supply boxes. Luckily, thanks to Ryuji finding that keycard, the exploration was a lot easier. They were even able to pick up the Palace's first Will Seed. So after fighting off a whole bunch of enemy Shadows, they were able to disable all the interfering security cameras, allowing them to head back to that doorway to figure out what the heck those two guards were saying.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"About those intruders..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh? Are you really that concerned? Don't be. We have the keys they need, so things should be okay as long as we protect them."</span>
</p><p class="p1">Ryuji smirked. "So there's the two keys we need..."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Just as expected..." Yusuke remarked. "I'm impressed Jack Frost was able to come to such a conclusion."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Aw... Shucks, hee-ho!" Jack Frost said with a pleased expression.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What're we gonna do then?" Ryuji wondered. "Beat 'em up and take the keys?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Really, Skull?" Morgana asked in response. "Just look at 'em. They're not your average Shadows. Anyone in charge of such important keys must be extremely strong."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"And there's two of them," Ann added. "Dealing with both of them would be tough. Plus, they could go and sound the alarm."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What if we separate them?" Ren wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"And how are we going to do that?" Pixie asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Naamah's Persona tackle can make enemy Shadows dizzy," Ren clarified. "If we're able to separate the two while they're not thinking clearly, we can take them out in different groups."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's a smart idea, Joker," Ann complimented. "It sounds a lot safer than fighting them both at the same time."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Okay, let's leave this part to our resident battering ram!" Morgana chimed in while he and the other phantom thieves stepped back.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the path cleared, Makoto summoned her Persona and revved up the engine. After a while, she sped towards the gated door, breaking it open with a flash of blue energy and slamming into the two guards, who dissolved into demon-like Shadows. Almost instantly, Ann tied up the light blue Shadow in her whip, allowing her, Ryuji, and Ren to take it down. As for the pale red Shadow, Yusuke, Morgana, and Makoto fought it with ease thanks to the biker's powerful tackles. And with the two separate groups, they were able to defeat the two Shadows at the same time.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, we got a key!" Morgana cheered as he picked it up.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The other guard had one as well," Yusuke confirmed, also picking up a dropped key.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pixie, on the other hand, spotted something on the wall and flew over to it. "What is it, Pixie?" Ren wondered. "Did you find something?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yeah, a map," Pixie answered as she studied it. "I think it has more information than the previous one I checked."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"Then it must tell us what the bank is like further down," Ann hoped.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"How's it look?" Ryuji wondered. "You see where the treasure is?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hmm... I think it's in the deeper levels," Pixie concluded. "I can see an elevator that leads to those levels. The treasure has to be in the area."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That would mean the area beyond the partition is rather large as well," Yusuke assumed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sure security will keep getting more intense from here onward too," Morgana suspected. "We need to be careful."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I was thinking the same thing," Ren agreed.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">With the two keys gathered, the team headed back to the vault. "Okay... Let's try turnin' it all at the same time," Ryuji said.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ann and Ryuji got into position. "On three!" she ordered. "One, two...!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With perfect unison, the two turned their keys at the same time, resulting in the vault opening up to reveal a new passageway. They were finally able to continue on to the next section.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This took a bit of time, but we managed to force it open," Yusuke remarked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"We sure did," Ren agreed. "Nice work, Naamah."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, no," Makoto disagreed. "All I did was make the guards dizzy. It succeeded thanks to everyone's efforts."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And so, the team walked through the doorway, only to come across an unfamiliar sight. The entire area felt uneasy as money rained from the sky, piling up on the ground.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Dude... There's money all over the floor!" Ryuji commented.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So he took all of this from the weak," Morgana suspected. "From both drug smuggling and his strip club."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Makoto tightly clenched her fists. "He's going to pay for this!" she vowed.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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